THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 
I       LOS  ANGELES 

GIFT  OF 
Commodore  Byron  McCandless 


ajf^ 


THE    LIFE 


OF 


SAMUEL   TUCKER, 


COMMODORE   IN   THE   AMERICAN   REVOLUTION. 


JOHN   H.  SHEPPARD,  A.M., 

LJBBAKIAN  OK  THE  XEW  ENGLAND  HISTORIC-GENEALOGICAL  SOCIETY. 


L  His  biography  would  make  a  conspicuous  figure,  even  at  this  day,  in  the 
naval  annals  of  the  United  States." 

EX-PRESIDENT  JOHN  ADAMS. 


BOSTON : 

PRINTED   BY  ALFRED   MUDGE  AND   SON, 
34    SCHOOL    STREET. 

1868. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  lt><>8,  by 

JOHN  II.  SHEPPAHD, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


TO   THE 

HON.    PELEG    SPRAGUE,    LL.  D., 

A   SCHOLAR,  STATESMAN,   AND   ELOQUENT  ADVOCATE. 

Twenty-four  years  Judge  of  the 
District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 

District  of  Massachusetts, 

An  office  which  he  elevated  and  adorned  with 
Incorruptible   Integrity  and  profound   Knowledge  of 

Admiralty  Law, 

Until  failure  of  health  compelled  him  to  retire 
From  his  laborious  duties, 

THIS  LIFE  OF 

COMMODORE     SAMUEL     TUCKER, 
Written  by  his  Encouragement,  and  published  with  his 

Approbation, 

Is  affectionately  and  respectfully 

Dedicated  by  the 

AUTHOR. 

January,  1868. 


Qr 
\j,"-s . 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  LIFE  OF  SAMUEL  TUCKER,      ...     13 


CHAPTER    I. 

His  Parentage  and  Birth,  19.  Childhood  and  Education,  21.  He 
runs  away  and  enlists  in  the  Royal  George,  22.  At  seventeen 
enters  before  the  Mast  in  a  Merchant  Vessel,  24.  As  Second 
Mate  saves  the  Ship  from  two  Algerine  Corsairs,  25.  Married, 
25.  Takes  Command  of  the  Young  Phoenix,  27.  Singular 
Incident  in  London;  his  Imprudence,  Peril,  and  Escape,  29. 
Returns  Home  as  Passenger  in  a  Ship  of  Robert  Morris,  Esq., 
which  he  saves  from  Destruction,  30.  Commissioned  by  Wash- 
ington as  Commander  of  the  Franklyn,  31.  Anecdote  of  the 
Express  with  his  Commission,  37.  Leaves  Beverly  on  his 
first  Cruise,  39. 

CHAPTER    II. 

State  of  the  Country  when  War  began,  40.  Number  of  Troops  at 
Cambridge,  41.  Their  Destitution  of  Military  Supplies.  41. 
Want  of  a  Navy,  42.  General  Washington  orders  several  &mall 
Vessels  to  be  armed  and  sent  out,  43.  Several  States  do  the  same, 

(5) 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS. 

44.  Scarcity  of  Powder,  and  Captain  Mugford's  timely  Prize, 

45.  Early  Navy  of  Massachusetts,  46.     Attack  on  Louisburg 
in  1744,  46.    Flag  and  the  National  Banner,  47.    Thirteen  Ships 
ordered  by  Congress  to  be  built,  48.    Captain  Mauly's  Escape, 
50.     Commodore  Hopkins,  52.     Title  of  Commodore,  why  and 
when  given,  53.    Rank  of  Captain  assigned,  54.    Why  Tucker's 
Name  is  not  there,  54. 


CHAPTER    III. 

Cruise  of  the  Franklyn,  56.  Takes  a  Transport  off  Long  Island, 
57.  Thanks  of  Washington,  57.  Another  Prize,  58.  Captain 
Weston's  Anecdote  of  his  Sea  Fight,  59.  Took  many  Prizes.  60. 
Transferred  to  the  armed  Schooner  Hannah,  61.  Takes  several 
Prizes,  63.  Captain  Martindale's  Statement  of  his  Humanity 
to  the  Conquered,  62.  Numerous  Captures,  63.  British  Losses 
on  the  Sea  in  1776,  63.  The  American  Navy,  66.  His  first 
Claim  to  the  Title  of  Commodore,  64.  Appointed  Captain  of 
the  Frigate  Boston,  67.  Severe  Battle,  and  Capture  of  an 
armed  Ship,  and  Commodore  Manly  captured  by  the  Rain- 
bow, 68.  Death  of  Lieutenant  Magee  in  the  Fight,  69. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Again  appointed  Captain  of  the  Boston,  71.  Takes  Hon.  John 
Adams,  Envoy,  and  his  Son,  to  France,  and  Instructions,  72. 
Voyage  commences,  74.  Three  large  Frigates  in  Pursuit  of 
the  Boston,  74.  Terrible  Storm ;  Ship  struck  by  Lightning,  75. 
Tucker's  Reflections,  77.  Escapes  the  Frigates,  78.  Strange 
Sail  a  War  Ship,  80.  Captures  the  Martha,  81.  Sends  her 
Home,  83.  A  Gun  bursts,  and  Lieutenant  Barron  wounded,  84. 
Barron's  Death  and  Burial,  85.  The  Boston  enters  the  River 
Garonne,  86.  Arrival  at  Bordeaux,  86.  Numerous  Visitors  to 
the  Frigate,  87.  Repairs,  and  starts  on  a  Cruise,  88. 


TABLE   OF    CONTENTS.  7 

CHAPTER   V. 

Ship  of  War,  89.  Bay  of  Biscay,  90.  Takes  Scotch  Brig  John  and 
Rebecca,  91.  Eclipse  of  the  Sun,  91.  Britannia  and  Elizabeth, 
Prizes,  91.  Mr.  Adams's  Letter,  92.  Mr.  Adams's  Instructions, 
93.  Took  Scotch  Brig,  95.  Shameful  Treatment  by  French 
General,  95.  Forty-seven  Men  taken  from  the  Boston,  95. 
Crew  they  left,  97.  Sells  three  Prizes,  98.  At  Nantes.  98.  At 
Brest,  98.  Sails  in  Commodore  Whipple's  Squadron,  and  in 
Company  with  French  Fleet  of  forty  Ships,  99.  Saves  Life  of 
Cabin  Boy,  100.  A  letter  describing  the  Boston  in  the  Storm, 
101.  The  Squadron  on  the  Banks  of  Newfoundland,  100. 
At  Portsmouth,  100.  Judge  Sprague's  Remarks  on  Tucker 
in  his  Eulogy  on  Adams  and  Jefferson,  102. 

CHAPTER    VI. 

A  Letter  of  John  Paine,  105.  Visit  to  his  Family,  105.  Agree- 
ment of  Whipple,  Tucker,  and  Simpson,  to  cruise,  106.  Con- 
voys and  protects  a  Fleet  of  Merchant  Ships,  107.  Keeps  off  t\vo 
British  Frigates  in  Voyage  from  St.  Eustatia,  107.  Fights 
and  captures  the  Pole  Frigate,  no.  Cruises  with  the  Deane,  in. 
Commands  two  Frigates,  with  Orders  from  Whipple,  which  en- 
titles him  Commodore,  115.  Letter  from  Jos.  Reed,  114.  Takes 
Prizes,  1 16.  Sale  of  the  Pole,  117.  Boston  Gazette  enumerates 
Prizes,  119.  Tucker's  Account  of  several  Captures,  121. 

CHAPTER    VII. 

Attends  Court  Martial,  122.  Petition  of  Whipple,  Tucker,  et  al., 
for  Employment,  123.  Their  Squadron  of  four  on  a  Cruise, 
125.  They  are  sent  to  defend  Charleston,  S.  C.,  126.  Description 
of  Charleston  Harbor,  &c.,  126-129.  Sir  Henry  Clinton  and 
Vice-Admiral  Arbuthnot  invest  City  by  Land  and  Sea,  128. 
Tucker  destroys  the  Beacon  Lighthouse,  131.  And  Fort 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS. 

Johnson,  132.  Enemy  passes  Fort  Moultrie,  137.  Vessels  sunk 
in  Cooper  River,  137.  Whipple  sends  Guns  and  Men  to  man 
the  Fortifications,  137.  Advance  of  fche  Enemy,  and  Distress  in 
the  City,  138.  End  of  Siege,  129.  Capitulation,  and  Tucker's 
Parole,  140.  His  Benevolence  to  the  Distressed,  141.  Their 
Letter  of  Thanks  to  him,  142.  The  Censure  of  Writers 
unfounded,  143-145.  Anecdote  of  Tucker's  Surrender  and 
Striking  his  Flag,  146. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

Return  to  Boston,  147.  Exchanged  with  Captain  Wardlow,  147. 
Takes  Command  of  the  Thorn,  148.  Josiah  Everett,  an  aged 
Marine  on  board,  his  Character,  149.  Everett's  Description 
of  the  Capture  of  the  Lord  Hyde,  149-151.  Newspaper  Ac- 
counts of  same,  152.  Taking  of  the  Elizabeth,  and  bloody 
Battle,  154.  Captain  Weston's  Narrative  of  the  Battle,  156. 
Writes  to  Lee  about  his  Prizes,  157.  His  nine  Cruises  and 
Prizes,  158.  At  Home,  158.  Thorn  a  Privateer,  159.  Letter  of 
William  R.  Lee  &  Co.,  160.  July,  1780,  makes  his  last  Cruise, 
161.  Captured  by  Frigate  Hind,  161.  Carried  to  St.  John's, 
at  entrance  of  St.  Lawrence,  162.  Makes  his  Escape  in  an 
open  Boat,  162.  Captain  Young's  Letter,  163.  Leaves  Che- 
bucto  in  his  open  Boat,  crosses  the  Bay,  and  reaches  Boston, 
164.  The  Correspondence  and  Explanation,  165. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

His  House  in  Fleet  Street,  166.  Expensive  Living,  167.  Mrs.  E. 
Perkins's  Account  of  him,  167,  168.  Time  of  Residence  in 
Boston,  169.  Imprudent  Loan  to  a  false  Friend,  170.  Ap- 
plies in  \ain  to  Congress  for  his  Pay,  170.  Court  of  Inquiry 
on  Harding,  171.  Goes  to  Sea  in  Merchantman,  172.  Loss 
of  his  Ship  Cato,  172.  Removes  to  Marblehead,  and  buys  a 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS.  9 

Grist  Mill,  173.  Applies  for  Command  of  a  Revenue  Cutter, 
174.  General  Hamilton's  Letter  —  "too  late,"  179.  Buys  a 
Farm  and  moves  to  Bristol,  Maine,  181.  Applies  for  Com- 
mand of  one  of  the  new  Frigates,  182.  Unsuccessful;  reported 
to  be  dead,  183. 

CHAPTER   X. 

History  of  Bristol,  185.  Alexander  M'Lean,  186.  Captains  Pop- 
ham,  John  Smith,  et  al.,  187.  Early  Settlement  at  Pemaquid, 
188.  Grants  of  Land  there,  188.  Forts,  and  Wars  with  the 
Indians,  189,  190.  With  the  French,  191.  Dunbar  rebuilds 
the  Fort,  192.  Description  of  Pemaquid,  City  of  Jamestown, 
Fortress,  &c.,  193-196.  Tucker's  Manner  of  Life  on  his  Farm, 
196.  His  Family,  198,  199.  Loss  of  his  Son,  Samuel,  109.  His 
sorrowful  Letter  to  Rev.  E.  Hubbard,  200. 

CHAPTER   XI. 

Land  Titles  and  Lawsuits,  202.  Betterment  Law,  203.  Insurrec- 
tion, 205.  Murder  of  Paul  Chadwick,  207.  Militia  called  out, 
208.  The  Great  Trial,  209-212.  Tucker's  Petition  to  the 
General  Court  for  Redress,  213.  Committee  by  Legislature 
appointed,  214.  The  Remedial  Statute,  215.  Tucker's  Cap- 
ture of  the  Crown,  216-221.  Refuses  to  take  Command  of  the 
Gunboat  Flotilla,  222. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

A  Selectman  for  Years,  224.  Representative  to  General  Court, 
225.  Reception  in  Boston,  225.  Representative  in  Maine 
twice,  226.  His  Memorials  to  Congress,  Correspondence,  &c., 
227-234.  Journey  to  Washington  in  1820,  235.  His  Reception 
at  the  Capitol,  236.  Again  petitions  Congress,  238.  Letter 


IO  TABLE    OF   CONTENTS. 

of  Mr.  Adams,  241.  Invitation  to  Belfast,  and  Reply  to  Com- 
mittee, 243.  A  Freemason,  244.  Member  of  Agricultural 
Society  of  Maine,  245.  Interesting  Anecdote  by  Professor 
Johnson,  245.  Interview  with  Major  C.,  247,  248.  Singular 
Anecdote  of  the  Widow,  249.  Congress  grants  Pension,  251. 
His  Death  soon  after,  253.  His  personal  Appearance,  255. 
His  Grave,  257.  Conclusion,  258. 


APPENDIX. 

PAGE 

Copy  of  his  Original  Log-Book, 26210327 

General  Signals  for  the  Fleet, 328 

Certificate  of  his  Baptism,  and  Extracts  from  Family  Bible,  .     335 

Diversions  forbidden  to  Officers  by  Congress, 336 

Letter  of  Captain  Glover, 338 

Crew  of  the  Boston  appointing  Prize  Agent, 339 

Memorandum  of  Shares  of  Prize  Money, 340 

Men  taken,  or  who  died  in  the  Boston,  1778, 341 

Certificate  of  French  Sailors  in  1778, '  .     342 

Muster-Roil  in  the  Boston  to  France,  1778, 343 

Muster-Roil  in  the  Boston,  after  her  Return  on  a  Cruise,    344-355 
Tucker's  Letter  to  the  Navy  Board,  and  Grade  of  Officers,     .     356 

The  three  War-Ships  named  Boston, 358 

Account  Current  of  William  R.  Lee,  and  Invoice,     .     .       359,360 

Letter  to  William  Jennison, 361 

Letter  from  Tucker  to  Dr.  Brown, 362 

Letters  of  Hon.  M.  L.  Hill  and  John  Holmes,       .     .     .      362,363 
Letters   of  Hon.  John   Chandler  and   General   Knox,  and 

Reply, 364. 365 

Copy  of  Memorandum  among  his  Papers, 365 

Correspondence  between  General  Wm.  King  and  Tucker,     .     366 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS.  II 

Ritchie's  Letter  to  Samuel  Tucker, 367 

List  of  Appleton's  Notes  loaned  to  D.  C., 368 

Song  written  at  Bristol,  Maine, 369-371 

Anecdote  of  his  early  Cruising,       371 

Note  on  Frigate  Hancock, 371 

Some  Chronological  Dates  of  early  built  Vessels,     ....  372 

Early  Ships  of  War  compared  to  the  present  Navy,  ....  374 


INTRODUCTION. 


THERE  is  one  kind  of  aristocracy,  which,  in  almost 
every  age  and  country,  has  been  admitted  and  acknowl- 
edged to  be  popular  among  all  classes  of  men,  and  is 
congenial  to  our  notions. of  the  largest  liberty  —  the 
aristocracy  of  mind.  It  is  confined  to  no  privileged 
rank,  limited  to  no  condition  of  wealth  or  inheritance, 
dependent  upon  no  external  influence  nor  patronage. 
It  is  the  gift  of  God  to  man.  We  feel  its  power,  and 
willingly  yield  to  its  ascendency. 

It  is  this  which  gives  such  a  charm  to  biography ; 
and  whenever  we  find  a  man  of  intellect  working  out 
his  own  glory  amidst  and  above  his  fellows,  we  are 
delighted,  improved,  and  benefited  ;  for  aristocracy  of 
mind  is  usually  allied  to  excellence  in  some  art  or 
science,  and  is  often  connected  with  all  that  is  beauti- 
ful and  noble  in  human  nature. 

On  this  account  a  generous  public  are  anxious  to 
erect  a  monument  to  departed  worth,  and  embalm  the 
memory  of  illustrious  men  in  some  enduring  record 
of  their  lives.  Who  would  not  wish  to  preserve  the 
reminiscences  of  every  patriot,  warrior,  and  statesman 

(13) 


IA  INTRODUCTION. 

who  assisted  in  accomplishing  our  independence  and 
making  our  country  take  such  an  exalted  rank  among 
the  nations  of  the  earth?  Indeed,  it  may  be  a  ques- 
tion if  the  world  does  not  owe  more  of  its  knowledge 
of  the  Grecian  and  Roman  republics  to  Plutarch's 
Lives,  than  to  the  writings  of  Herodotus,  Thucydides, 
or  Livy. 

Of  those  heroic  men  who  were  distinguished  in  the 
American  Revolution  on  land  or  sea,  the  far  greater 
part  have  been  depictured  by  able  pens.  Monuments 
have  been  erected,  biographies  have  been  written,  and 
the  elegant  historian  has  adorned  their  memory  with 
unfading  wreaths.  Thirty  millions  of  a  free  and  happy 
people  felt  their  hearts  burn  with  patriotism  at  the  un- 
rivalled success  of  the  late  eloquent  Everett  in  redeeming, 
separating,  and  consecrating  as  a  holy  place  of  remem- 
brance that  beautiful  spot  on  the  banks  of  the  Potomac, 
where  the  FATHER  OF  HIS  COUNTRY  lived  and  died. 

But  there  is  one  man,  of  no  mean  rank  in  the  day  of 
struggle,  —  a  pioneer  of  our  infant  navy,  —  who  took  more 
prizes,  fought  more  sea  fights,  and  gained  more  victories, 
than,  with  a  very  few  exceptions,  any  naval  hero  of  the 
age,  who  lies  in  a  humble,  rustic  cemetery,  where  the 
place  is  but  little  known,  with  only  a  frail  slab  of  slate 
to  preserve  his  name,  and  whose  exploits  are  almost 
forgotten  amidst  the  splendor  of  our  national  prosperity 
which  he  helped  to  achieve. 

u  Who  is  Commodore  Tucker  ?  "  was  recently  asked 
by  a  scholar,  and  one  of  the  elite  in  the  Athens  of  our 
country :  so  little  is  known  of  him  by  the  present  genera- 


INTRODUCTION.  15 

tion.  And  yet  he  was  a  very  remarkable  man  in  the 
war  of  the  Revolution.  "  His  biography, "  said  the  late 
President  John  Adams  to  the  Honorable  Benjamin  W. 
Crowninshield,  secretary  of  the  navy,  in  a  letter  of 
January  18,  1816,  "  would  make  a  conspicuous  figure, 
even  at  this  day,  in  the  naval  annals  of  the  United 
States." 

It  is  a  singular  fact,  that  either  from  the  remote  and 
humble  retirement  of  his  declining  years,  or  from  the 
inadvertence  of  writers  in  searching  the  early  annals 
and  documents  of  the  Revolution,  or  it  may  be  from 
the  effulgence  of  so  many  brilliant  stars  in  the  historic 
zodiac,  the  deeds  and  services  of  Commodore  Tucker 
have  been  neglected  and  suffered  to  pass  unnoticed 
or  forgotten.  He  is  scarcely  mentioned  in  Marshall's, 
Sparks's,  or  Irving's  Life  of  Washington,  or  even  in 
Cooper's  elaborate  History  of  the  Navy  of  the  United 
States  of  America. 

By  referring  to  the  Journals  of  Congress,  Vol.  III.  p. 
91,  the  high  estimation  in  which  the  services  of  Tucker 
were  appreciated  will  be  seen.  For  the  Marine  Com- 
mittee reported,  "  That  there  were  several  very  fine 
prize  ships  in  the  State  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  very  suit- 
able for  the  service  of  the  continent,  and  which  may  be 
fitted  out  at  a  small  expense  ;  and  Captain  Daniel  Waters 
and  Captain  Samuel  Tucker,  who  were  early  employed 
by  General  Washington  in  cruising  vessels,  and  were 
very  successful,  and  strongly  recommended  by  the  gen- 
eral and  others,  are,  in  their  opinion,  proper  to  be  ap- 
pointed to  the  command  of  two  of  them  :  Whereupon, 


1 6  INTRODUCTION. 

"Resolved,  That  the  Marine  Committee  be  empowered 
to  give  directions  to  the  agents  to  purchase  three  ships, 
and  order  them  to  be  immediately  armed  and  fitted  out 
for  the  services  of  the  United  States,  to  be  under  the 
direction  of  the  Marine  Committee. 

"Resolved,  That  Daniel  Waters  and  Samuel  Tucker 
be  appointed  captains  in  the  navy  of  the  United  States, 
and  that  the  command  of  the  other  ship  be  given  to 
Captain  Paul  Jones,  until  better  provision  can  be  made 
for  him." 

These  resolutions  were  passed  March   15,   i777- 

President  John  Adams,  to  the  last  of  his  long  and 
honored  life,  always  spoke  in  teiTns  of  admiration  of 
the  bravery  and  exploits  of  this  naval  commander ;  and 
no  one  among  our  eminent  statesmen  of  that  period  had 
such  an  opportunity  to  know  the  man,  and  witness  his 
talents  and  heroism,  as  Mr.  Adams.  He  was  conveyed 
as  ambassador  to  France,  in  the  frigate  Boston,  under 
Tucker's  command,  and  while  on  that  dangerous  mis- 
sion his  departure  was  watched  by  a  British  seventy-four 
and  two  frigates ;  yet  the  captain,  with  great  nautical 
skill,  not  only  evaded  their  pursuit,  but  captured  on 
the  passage  the  British  armed  ship  Martha. 

With  auspices  thus  favorable,  sanctioned  by  a  name  so 
venerable  and  august,  and  encouraged  by  the  admira- 
tion of  distinguished  men  who  knew  him  well,  I  have 
ventured  on  this  SKETCH  OF  THE  LIFE  OF  COMMODORE 
SAMUEL  TUCKER.  The  preparation  of  it.  commenced 
some  years  ago,  has  not  been  without  much  labor  and 
difficulty  of  research.  It  is  a  long  time  since  his  death. 


INTRODUCTION.  1 7 

His  fellow-laborers  in  the  field  of  fame  had  nearly  all 
preceded  him  to  the  grave.  The  particulars  and  detail, 
therefore,  of  many  of  his  daring  deeds  on  the  ocean  are 
lost  irrecoverably,  or  rest  on  tradition.  Yet  there  is 
much  preserved.  In  the  latter  part  of  his  life  he  wrote 
a  memoir  of  his  principal  engagements  with  the  enemy, 
and  adventures  at  sea.  This  was  committed  to  a  gentle- 
man—  the  late  Moses  Shaw,  M.  D.,  of  Wiscasset,  and 
at  that  time  collector  of  the  port  —  to  prepare  his  life  for 
the  press  ;  but  the  papers  and  materials  were  destroyed 
when  his  office  was  burned.  The  commodore,  however, 
had  fortunately  retained  his  log-book,  or  journal  of  his 
voyage  to  France,  with  several  letters  and  copies  of 
correspondence.  These  valuable  documents,  after  his 
decease,  were  deposited  by  his  grandson  Colonel  Samuel 
Tucker  Hinds,  of  Bristol,  in  the  library  of  Harvard 
University,  there  to  be  preserved  in  the  archives.  By 
an  order  from  Colonel  Hinds  and  the  politeness  of  John 
L.  Sibley,  Esq.,  librarian,  the  writer  of  this  Sketch  has 
had  the  use  of  them. 

After  the  separation  of  Maine  from  Massachusetts,  in 
1820,  Commodore  Tucker  was  chosen  a  member  of  the 
legislature  of  that  new  State.  The  Honorable  Peleg 
Sprague,  of  this  city,  and  the  late  Albert  Smith,  Esq., 
formerly  United  States  marshal,  of  Maine,  were  also 
members.  They  were  well  acquainted  with  him,  and 
gave  the  writer  several  anecdotes  of  his  prowess  and 
peculiarity.  Indeed,  this  sketch  was  read  to  Judge 
Sprague,  and  with  his  advice  and  approbation  is  pub- 
lished. By  his  permission  it  is  dedicated  to  him.  I  was 
2 


1 8  INTRODUCTION. 

also  personally  acquainted  with  Commodore  Tucker 
when  I  resided  in  Wiscasset,  Maine. 

No  pains  have  been  spared  to  obtain  facts  and  correct 
information.  I  visited  Marblehead,  his  birthplace,  twice  ; 
went  to  Hamilton  to  see  his  nephew,  who  resembled  him 
much  in  appearance  ;  and  made  a  journey  to  Bristol,  in 
Maine,  where  his  grandson  Colonel  Hinds  resided. 
Under  the  hospitable  roof  of  the  latter  I  passed  several 
days,  and  obtained  many  interesting  anecdotes  of  this 
remarkable  man.  With  him  I  visited  the  grave  of 
Commodore  Tucker,  in  Bremen,  and  rode  by  the  house 
where  he  made  his  last  home.  It  was,  indeed,  a 
"  Bleak  House,"  on  a  cold,,  lonely  hill.  I  saw.  several 
aged  people  who  were  intimate  with  him,  who  related 
many  incidents  which  occurred  in  his  cruises  on  the 
deep. 

The  materials  of  this  Sketch  have  thus  been  gathered 
from  various  sources  —  newspapers,  particularly  in  the 
days  of  the  Revolution,  narratives  of  the  aged,  annals  of 
the  time,  and  documents  left  by  the  deceased.  From  the 
scrupulous  care  with  which  facts  and  incidents  have 
been  gathered,  sifted,  and  examined,  I  have  reason  to 
believe  that  a  truthful,  narrative  has  been  furnished. 

Some  years  since  a  number  of  articles  touching  his 
life  and  battles  with  English  cruisers  in  the  Revolution 
were  published  in  the  Boston  Journal,  under  the.  signature 
of  "  A  Stranger  in  Boston."  They  were  my  own,  and 
having  been  prepared  with  some  care,  they  have  been 
incorporated  in  this  Sketch. 


LIFE 


OF 


SAMUEL     TUCKER 


CHAPTER    I. 
BOYHOOD  AND  EARLY  EDUCATION. 

SAMUEL  TUCKER  was  born  in  Marblehead,  Mas- 
sachusetts, November  i,  1747,  as  appears  by  the 
memorandum  of  births  in  the  old  family  Bible,  and  in  the 
records  of  the  "  First  Church  of  Christ  in  Marblehead," 
which  are  in  good  preservation  —  Liber  XI.  beginning 
with  1740,  —  his  baptism  was  noted  under  date  of  Novem- 
ber 8,  1747.  He  was  the  third  child  of  Andrew  and 
Mary "  Tucker,  who  had  eight  children,  viz.,  Andrew, 
Mary,  Samuel,  William,  Nathaniel,  Elizabeth  and  Ben- 
jamin (twins),  and  Sarah. 

It  has  been  said  that  his  father,  Andrew  Tucker,  was 
one  of  three  brothers,  who  emigrated  to  America  from 
Dundee,  in  Scotland,  when  young  men.  It  may  be  true  ; 
but  so  many  instances  are  referred  to  and  repeated  as 
a  kind  of  ancestral  axiom  by  those  who  are  hunting  up 

(19) 


2O  LIFE   OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

their  descent  from  the  early  settlers  in  this  country, 
that  among  the  members  of  the  New  England  Historic- 
Genealogical  Society  who  are  best  versed  and  most 
skilful  in  tracing  pedigrees,  this  tradition  of  "  three 
brothers "  invariably  excites  a  smile  of  incredulity.  It 
was  said  one  of  these  brothers  settled  in  South  Caro- 
lina, one  in  Virginia,  and  one,  Andrew,  in  Marbleheacl. 
Should  the  writer,  however,  be  enabled  to  procure  an 
accurate  genealogy,  it  will  be  inserted  in  the  Appendix  ; 
for  there  was  an  Andrew  Tucker  at  Marblehead  in  1663. 

His  mother's  maiden  name .  was  Mary  Belcher,  an 
English  lady,  reputed  to  have  been  handsome,  and  well 
educated.  Of  a  figure  tall  and  stately,  tasteful  in  dress, 
of  winning  manners,  and  fond  of  social  life,  she  was 
often  called  the  "  Lady  Mary."  Her  natural  gayety 
descended  to  Samuel  like  an  heirloom,  and  he  cherished 
it  during  a  long  life. 

His  father  followed  the  sea,  and  was  much  respected 
as  an  upright,  skilful  shipmaster.  Before  the  Revolution 
he  was  in  affluent  circumstances,  and  lived  in  much  style. 
The  house  which  he  built  more  than  a  hundred  years 
ago  on  Rowland  Hill,  near  the  bay,  is  still  standing, 
though  its  gable  ends  have  been  changed  into  a  more 
modern  fashion.  On  this  building  he  laid  out  much 
cost.  His  rooms  were  decorated  with  rich  paper-hang- 
ings, for  which  he  sent  to  France ;  the  paper  was  thick 
as  cloth,  and  figured  with  vermilion  and  black  stripes, 
as  appears  by  fragments  still  preserved.  I  was  surprised 
at  the  specimens  of  tasteful  workmanship  and  durable 
material  shown  by  the  tenant,  who  occupies  this  sub- 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER.  21 

stantial,  pleasant  mansion,  which,  in  its  day,  was  one  of 
the  first  and  best  structures  in  the  country.  It  was  here 
that  Samuel  was  born  and  brought  up. 

Of  his  early  instruction  there  is  no  authentic  account, 
and  few  are  the  anecdotes  of  his  boyhood.  That  his 
schooling  was  not  neglected  we  may  be  assured,  for  his 
father  wished  to  give  him  a  collegiate  education,  and  for 
that  purpose  put  him  to  a  preparatory  school.  lie  was 
well  grounded  in  reading,  writing,  and  arithmetic  —  the 
elementary  foundation  of  all  knowledge  acquired  in 
future  life.  He  learned  to  write  a  good  hand,  and  com- 
pose with  ease  in  a  plain,  business  style  ;  and  in  declining 
years,  when  an  ungrateful  country  suffered  him  to  labor 
for  his  support  under  the  grinding  pressure  of  poverty, 
he  evinced,  by  teaching  navigation  to  young  mariners, 
that  he  had  been  no  drone  in  his  school-boy  days. 

Marblehead,  the  home  of  his  childhood,  is  a  jutting 
peninsula,  with  rocky  shores,  and  a  narrow  harbor  of 
a  mile  and  a  half  in  length,  exposed  to  the  breezes 
and  roar  of  the  Atlantic,  and  for  more  than  two  hun- 
dred years  celebrated  as  the  nursery  of  American  sea- 
men. Here,  from  his  birth,  young  Tucker  breathed  the 
ocean  air,  and  with  its  salubrious  draughts  inhaled  the 
spirit  of  adventure.  Often  did  he  see  the  shores  and 
docks  lined  with  fleets  of  fishermen,  and  he  wras  accus- 
tomed to  gaze  upon  crowds  gathering  on  the  wharves  and 
streets,  when  some  homeward-bound  ship  came  in  sight. 
He  heard  the  songs  of  the  mariners,  and  their  stirring 
tales  of  other  lands,  as  each  crew  of  gallant  tars  set  foot 
on  their  native  shore.  He  fed  on  excitement.  He  was 


22  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

surrounded  by  incentives  to  a  sea  life.  The  very  boat 
he  whittled  into  shape  with  his  jackknife,  then  rigged, 
and  set  afloat  in  some  little  cove  near  his  house,  was 
but  an  image  of  the  great  ship  which  his  soul,  in  the 
visions  of  boyhood,  thirsted  one  clay  to  command  on 
the  ocean.  Everything  around  him  on  this  almost  sea- 
girt rock  only  served  to  awaken  his  boyish  breathings 
for  future  fame,  and  make  a  man  of  him.  Even  in 
the  soft  down  of  youth  he  was  a  daring  lad  in  all  his 
sports,  and  if  fear  ever  came  upon  him,  it  was  after  the 
danger  was  over,  when  his  imagination  looked  back. 
Indeed,  what  son  of  Marblehead  ever  knew  fear,  when 
the  path  of  duty  lay  before  him? 

THE    CHILD     IS     FATHER    OF     THE     MAN,    though     often 

quoted  from  the  writings  of  a  great  poet,  was  never  more 
applicable  than  to  the  boyhood  of  Samuel  Tucker.  It  is 
no  wonder  that  his  bent  of  mind  should  have  been  averse 
to  the  wishes  of  a  fond  father,  and  that  he  turned  away 
from  the  thought  of  academic  groves  and  the  classic 
cells  of  a  college.  For  such  was  his  repugnance  to  the 
still  life  of  literature,  that  his  feelings  became  violent, 
and  at  eleven  years  of  age  he  formed  a  desperate  plan 
of  seeking  his  own  fortune  in  the  perils  of  the  deep. 
He  ran  away,  and  embarked  in  an  English  sloop  of  war, 
the  Royal  George,  bound  on  a  cruise  to  Louisburg,  to 
intercept  a  French  transport.  It  is  said,  however,  that 
his  father,  instead  of  discarding  the  impetuous  boy, 
afterwards  wisely  gave  his  consent,  and  apprenticed 
him  to  the  commander  of  that  ship. 

This  took  place  in  the  year  1759,  when  the  immortal 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER.  23 

Wolfe  died  in  the  arms  of  victory  at  Quebec.  Thus 
commenced  his  first  step  in  the  path  to  emiuence  in 
nautical  life  ;  and,  as  it  were,  by  leaping  almost  from  the 
cradle  into  a  man-of-war,  he.  braved  the  hardships  of 
a  sea-boy's  lot.  and  began  to  form  that  lion-hearted 
character  which  in  after  years  no  danger  could  terrify, 
no  trial  discourage. 

The  discipline  on  board  of  a  British  ship  of  war  was 
severe,  proverbially  so.  The  seaman  who  offended  an 
officer,  or  violated  any  order  or  regulation  in  the  most 
trivial  degree,  found  but  too  often  little  or  no  mercy. 
To  crush  all  the  finer  feelings  by  terror,  and  to  exercise 
force  on  all  occasions,  was  for  the  most  part  the  bar- 
barous policy  of  naval  government.  The  law  of  kindness 
was  unknown.  The  old  tar  might  become  callous  from 
long  and  hopeless  endurance,  but  the  young  novice, 
often  impressed  into  the  service  by  a  press-gang,  in  his 
homeless  and  hopeless  state  experienced  sufferings  that 
were  terrible.  The  distribution  of  ardent  spirits,  too,  as 
a  part  of  his  rations,  increased  his  calamity.  It  led  to 
disobedience  and  the  lash,  and  by  reaction  the  pain  and 
disgrace  induced  a  reckless  resort  to  the  cup  to  drown 
misery.  Thus  these  evils  aided  each  other ;  and  rum  and 
the  cat  made  the  war  ship  a  picture  of  pandemonium. 

To  such  trials  and  discipline  there  is  no  reason  to 
believe  that  young  Tucker  was  much  exposed  in  the 
Royal  George.  He  never  complained  of  peculiar  hard- 
ships, nor  of  cruel,  unkind  treatment.  Nor  at  any 
period  of  his  life  did  he  lament  this  early  escapade  in 
the  choice  of  a  profession.  On  board  of  the  ship  he 


24  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

was  no  idle  boy.  He  was  anxious  to  gain  knowledge. 
He  acquired  a  mastership  of  nautical  science,  and  aimed 
to  unite  naval  tactics  with  skill  in  navigation.  That  he 
was  an  apt  scholar,  coming  years  made  plain  ;  for  in 
this  situation  he  obtained  a  thorough  acquaintance  with 
British  signals  —  a  knowledge  which  afterwards  proved 
of  such  eminent  advantage  to  him.  And  he  learned  the 
art  of  manoeuvring  his  ship  in  the  face  of  the  enemy, 
and  managing  her  in  the  fury  of  a  tempest.  Few 
of  our  naval  commanders  then  understood  maritime 
tactics  so  perfectly  as  this  young  man  at  the  time  he 
was  commissioned  by  General  Washington,  who  seemed 
almost  possessed  of  a  divine  gift  in  discovering  talents 
and  merit  by  intuition.  How  long  his  service  lasted  in 
the  Royal  George,  what  cruises  were  made,  what  dangers 
were  encountered,  till  his  education  was  completed,  is 
now  unknown.  We  must  pass  over  six  years  of  his  life, 
before  we  hear  from  him  again,  and  then  we  shall  find 
him  rising  rapidly  as  a  mariner ;  for  at  the  age  of  seven- 
teen he  enlisted  .on  board  of  a  vessel  from  Salem,  bound 
on  a  foreign  voyage,  in  the  capacity  of  second  mate, 
his  brother  being  first  mate  ;  and  here  he  performed  a 
daring  exploit — one  of  those  shadows  that  "coming 
events  cast  before  "  them.  The  vessel  had  arrived  within 
a  few  hours'  sail  of  Lisbon,  when  two  Algerine  corsairs 
were  discovered  with  crowded  sail  in  pursuit  of  them. 
The  captain  became  frightened,  and  then,  like  all 
cowards,  flew  to  the  can  to  get  courage ;  but  he  drank 
so  much  of  the  intoxicating  draught,  that  young  Tucker 
persuaded  him  to  go  below,  and  leave  the  mate  to 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  25 

manage  the  ship.  The  corsairs  came  upon  them  rapidly. 
The  danger  was  appalling.  His  brother,  the  mate, 
grew  alarmed,  and  Samuel  fearlessly  took  the  helm. 
As  it  was  drawing  towards  night,  he  saw  there  was 
hope,  and  the  intrepid  lad  steered  the  schooner  towards 
the  pirates,  and,  it  is  said,  "  luffed  under  the  bow  of  the 
windward  corsair,"  and  kept  sailing  ofF  and  on  towards 
the  two,  whereby  one  pirate  firing  on  his  vessel,  the  other 
would  be  exposed.  In  the  mean  time  the  Algerines  felt 
sure  of  their  pi'ey.  But  as  soon  as  it  was  dark,  he  ordered 
the  lights  to  be  put  out,  and  making  all  the  sail  he 
could,  bore  away  under  cover  of  night ;  and  in  the  morn- 
ing the  schooner  was  safely  moored  in  the  port  of  Lisbon. 
At  one  time  she  was  within  pistol  shot  of  the  guns  of 
the  nearest  corsair ;  yet  he  managed  to  escape  their 
grasp.  The  sequel  was  singular.  That  cowardly  and 
contemptible  captain,  alarmed  at  owing  his  preservation 
to  a  mere  stripling,  and  hoping  to  conceal  his  own  in- 
famy, put  Samuel  on  board  of  an  English  frigate  then 
in  port ;  but  the  facts  soon  leaking  out,  he  was  honored 
by  the  generous  officers,  and  immediately  appointed  a 
midshipman. 

How  long  he  continued  in  service  on  board  of  this 
frigate,  there  are  no  means  of  knowing ;  probably  not  a 
long  period,  Tor,  according  to  the  usual  custom  of  sea  life, 
he  must  have  been  promoted  and  sailed  as  mate  one 
or  two  voyages,  for  he  was  master  of  a  merchantman 
when  he  was  married,  December  21,  1768,  soon  after 
lie  became  of  age.  His  wife,  Mary,  was  the  daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Ann  Gatchell,  of  Marblehead.  Mr. 


26  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

Gatchell  was  deacon  of  the  Congregational  church  of 
that  place  —  a  worthy  and  estimable  man.  On  his 
marriage,  Captain  Tucker  took  part  of  his  house,  —  which 
was  a  double  one,  —  and  afterwards  moved  to  his  own 
father's  on  Rowland  Hill,  probably  to  take  care  of  him, 
for  he  had  been  unfortunate,  was  reduced  in  property, 
and  had  become  a  victim  of  disease. 

From  a  letter  of  Commodore  Tucker  to  Captain  Joseph 
Hidden,  of  Marblehead,  dated  December  23,  1817,  a 
glimpse  of  the  family  history  at  the  time  of  his  marriage 
reaches  us.  He  says  he  was  at  the  expense  and  trouble 
of  maintaining  his  father  some  time  before  his  death, 
and  that  he  took  care  of  his  mother,  "  who  had  no 
other  to  look  up  to  for  succor  or  aid  in  the  least,"  more 
than  thirty  years  after  her  husband's  death.  She  died 
in  1808.  His  father,  therefore,  must  have  died  about 
the  time  of  the  Revolution,  between  1775  and  1778. 
He  remarks  in  a  postscript,  "  that  his  mother  appointed 
him  her  guardian  some  time  before  her  decease."  This 
widowed  parent  always  lived  w^ith  him.  She  shared 
his  home  and  his  fortunes  when  he  removed  to  Bristol, 
Maine.  She  lived  to  a  great  age,  —  ninety-one  years  and 
six  months,  —  and  now  lies  near  him  in  the  churchyard 
of  Bremen,  formerly  part  of  Bristol  —  an  evidence  of 
maternal  and  filial  affection  ever  sacred  and  ever  honor- 
able. She  was  said  to  have  been  a  superior  woman, 
of  strong  mind,  of  a  cheerful  temperament,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Episcopal  church. 

As  a  shipmaster,  Captain  Tucker  was  too  well  qualified 
and  skilful  to  bemoan  the  want  of  employment.  He  was 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER.  27 

seldom  long  in  port.  Among  his  papers  there  is  a 
letter  to  him  from  Jeremiah  Lee,  to  take  command  of 
the  brig  Young  Phoenix,  on  a  voyage  to  Bilbao,  for 
salt.  This  was  dated  July  20,  1774-  January  13,  1775, 
he  is  sent  out  in  the  same  vessel  to  Charleston,  S.  C., 
thence  to  the  Isle  of  Wight,  and,  under  the  advice  of  the 
consignee,  to  procure  and  bring  home  a  cargo  of  salt. 
Discretionary  power  is  given  to  sell  the  brig ;  and  if 
there  is  a  war  with  England,  to  return  and  seek  some 
safe  port  at  home ;  for,  said  the  patriotic  merchant,  a 
true  Marblehead  man,  "  then  T  shall  be  in  the  Provincial 
army,  as  I  am  determined  not  to  survive  my  country's 
liberty  and  privileges." 

An  anecdote  was  related  to  me  by  Captain  Weston, 
which  deserves  a  place  in  this  Sketch.  It  occurred  when 
Tucker  was  a  young  man,  in  the  command  of  the  Phoenix. 
On  his  first  voyage  to  Bilbao,  a  Spanish  port,  once  the 
largest  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay,  the  vessel  was  approaching 
the  coast,  and  by  an  adverse  current  was  forced  on  a 
dangerous  reef,  through  the  carelessness  of  the  pilot. 
It  lay  near  the  mouth  of  the  harbor.  The  crew,  alarmed 
-at  the  terrific  breakers,  with  the  captain's  permission 
took  to  the  long-boat,  except  the  second  mate  and  a 
boy,  who  declared  they  would  not  leave  Captain  Tucker 
in  peril,  and  sprung  back  into  the  vessel.  As  for  the 
pilot,  who  was  to  blame,  he  was  sent  below  into  the 
cabin.  There  he  began  to  pray  for  deliverance,  while 
Tucker,  looking  down  the  gangway,  cried  out  to  him, 
••  Pray  for  me  also." 

Thinking  there  was  still  some  chance  to  save  the  brig, 


28  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

as  it  was  luckily  flood  and  not  ebb  tide,  the  captain  let 
o-o  an  anchor.  When  the  tide  had  risen,  so  that  the 

& 

vessel  could  float,  he  ordered  the  cable  to  be  cut,  and 
passing  over  the  reef,  reached  the  harbor  in  safety.  It 
was  said  by  those  who  came  on  board,  that  he  had  made 
a  wonderful  escape,  as  it  was  a  great  chance  that  the 
brig  had  not  bilged  and  gone  to  pieces,  since  no  vessel 
had  passed  over  that  dangerous  reef  for  several  years. 
Thus',  by  his  courage  and  presence  of  mind,  he  saved  the 
property  of  his  owners  from  destruction. 

No  more  is  heard  of  the  Young  Phoenix ;  she  un- 
doubtedly made  a  prosperous  voyage.  But  Captain 
Tucker  is  next  found  in  London.  The  war  had  broken 
out,  and  the  news  of  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill  arrived 
in  that  city.  It  is  said  that  one  day  he  saw  an  inspector 
examining  some  boxes  and  casks  of  guns  and  ammuni- 
tion, marked  for  u  Boston,"  and  exclaimed,  "  I  would 
walk  barefoot  one  hundred  miles,  if  by  that  means  these 
arms  could  only  take  the  direction  of  Cambridge."  On 
his  return  home  in  the  fall,  his  wishes  were  fulfilled ;  he 
recognized  these  same  boxes,  by  their  familiar  marks, 
in  the  camp  of  Washington.  They  had  been  captured 
by  Captain  John  Manly,  in  the  armed  schooner  Lee, 
from  Marblehead,  and  were  safely  landed  in  port. 

During  his  residence  in  London,  he  was  offered  his 
choice  —  a  commission  in  the  army  or  a  command  in  the 
navy.  He  refused  both.  When  he  was  urged  one  day 
to  take  one  of  these  situations,  and  was  promised,  if  he 
would  consent,  that  his  gracious  majesty  would  give 
him  an  honorable  and  profitable  office,  in  his  haste  he 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER.  29 

rashly  replied,  "  D his  most  gracious  majesty  ;  do 

you  think  I  would  fight  against  my  native  country?" 
The  man  to  whom  he  uttered  this  hard-shelled  patriotism 
was  one  of  the  enlisting  officers,  and  immediately  left 
him.  A  friend,  who  happened  to  hear  the  offer  and 
reply,  stepped  up  to  him  and  urged  him  to  withdraw 
and  keep  out  of  the  way,  for  surely  he  would  be  arrested 
for  speaking  factiously  against  the  king.  On  this  hint 
Captain  Tucker  immediately  left  London,  travelled  about 
fifteen  miles  into  the  country,  and  stopped  at  a  tavern. 
He  soon  found  out  that  a  brother  kept  it,  and  told 
him  he  was  in  trouble,  and  a  fugitive.  The  landlord 
asked  him,  "Have  you  been  guilty  of  any  crime?" 
"  No."  "  Have  you  done  anything  against  govern- 
ment?" "No,"  said  Tucker.  Then  he  added,  "I  will 
protect  you." 

Soon  after  the  landlord  saw  some  horsemen  entering 
the  yard  in  great  haste.  He  suspected  they  were  in  pur- 
suit of  his  guest,  and  he  thrust  him  into  an  adjacent  closet 
and  locked  the  door.  The  officers  came  in,  and  one  of 
them  inquired  if  he  had  seen  any  traveller  pass  that  way 
since  morning.  "  No ;  I  have  seen  no  one  pass  this 
way."  The  officer  then  gave  him  a  description  of 
Tucker,  his  face,  figure,  dress,  and  manner,  saying, 
"  He  is  a  rebel  from  America,  and  has  damned  the 
king;  and  since  he  left  London  he  has  had  time  to  reach 
this  place."  He  then  gave  orders,  if  he  came  -this  way, 
to  stop  him.  The  landlord  rejoined,  "  Certainly,  if  he 
comes  this  way,  I'll  take  care  of  him."  And  he  did. 

Captain  Tucker  soon  made  his  escape  from  England, 


30  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

and  returned  home  in  the  first  vessel  he  could  find, 
which  happened  to  be  a  ship  from  Philadelphia,  in 
which  Robert  Morris,  Esq.,  was  interested.  This  was 
the  distinguished  merchant  of  Philadelphia,  and  a  zeal- 
ous patriot  in  the  Revolution,  of  whom  Mr.  Cooper,  in 
his  Naval  History,  remarks,  "  The  duties  of  an  agent  of 
marine  subsequently  devolved  on  the  '  superintendent 
of  finances,'  the  celebrated  Robert  Morris,  a  gentleman 
who  appears,  throughout  the  war,  to  have  had  more 
control  over  the  affairs  of  the  navy  than  any  other 
civilian  in  the  country."  (Vol.  I.  p.  86.) 

He  embarked  on  board  this  vessel  very  near  the  1st 
of  October.  On  the  voyage  a  furious  storm  arose,  and 
the  ship,  in  which  was  a  cargo  of  much  value,  was  in 
jeopardy,  and  the  captain  and  crew  expected  every 
moment  she  would  founder.  They  began  to  despair  of 
life,  when  Tucker  stepped  up,  cheered  all  hands,  advised 
them  to  make  an  effort,  and,  taking  the  helm,  guided  the 
vessel  through  the  tempest.  To  his  skill  and  knowledge 
the  crew  and  ship  owed  their  preservation. 

How  little  does  any  one  know  upon  what  particular 
event,  and  sometimes  trifling  incident,  the  future  destiny 
of  his  life  may  depend.  Yet  in  biography  such  in- 
stances are  not  unfrequent ;  and  it  is  pleasant,  as  far  as 
we  can,  to  trace  the  links  in  the  chain  of  events,  and 
observe  how  they  are  put  together,  sometimes  as  though 
by  an  unseen  hand,  and  for  some  important  agency. 
Such  a  link  was  the  saving  of  this  ship  and  her  valuable 
cargo  in  Tucker's  future  life.  It  made  a  friend  of  a 
powerful  man.  Mr.  Morris,  the  owner,  thereby  dis- 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER.  31 

covered  the  merit  of  this  skilful  mariner.  Grateful  for 
the  rescue  of  his  property  from  destruction,  he  introduced 
him  to  General  Washington ;  and  very  soon  this  pioneer 
of  the  American  navy  was  in  his  element,  his  foot  oh 
the  quarter  deck  of  command,  and  his  eye  gazing  on 
a  boundless  horizon  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy's  cruisers. 

On  his  return  home,  it  is  said  he  was  appointed  a 
lieutenant  of  a  company,  belonging  to  the  fourteenth  regi- 
ment, commanded  by  his  friend,  Captain  Glover.  If  so, 
his  service  was  of  short  duration  ;  for  he  received  a  com- 
mission as  captain  of  the  Franklyn,  under  the  hand  of 
General  Washington,  bearing  date  January  20,  1776.  It 
is  as  follows,  and,  it  seems,  he  was  afterwards  transferred 
to  the  Hancock. 

By  his  Excellency  George  Washington,  Esq.,  com- 
mander-in-chief  of  the  army  of  the  United  Colonies 
of  North  America, 

By  virtue  of  the  power  and  authority  to  me  granted  by 
the  Honorable  Continental  Congress,  I  do  hereby  consti- 
tute and  appoint  you  to  be  captain  of  the  armed  schooner 
Franklyn,  in  the  service  of  the  United  Colonies  of  North 
America^  to  have,  hold,  exercise,  and  enjoy  the  said 
office  of  captain,  and  to  perform  and  execute  all  mat- 
ters and  things  which  to  your  said  office  doth  or  may  of 
right  belong  and  appertain,  until  further  orders  shall 
be  given  herein  by  the  Honorable  Continental  Con- 
gress, myself,  or  any  future  commander-in-chief  of 
said  army.  Willing  and  commanding  all  officers,  sailors, 
and  persons  whatsoever,  any  way  concerned,  to  be 


32  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

obedient   and   assisting  to   you   in  the  execution  of  the 
commission. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal,  at  Cambridge,  this 
20th  day  of  January,  Anno  Domini  1776- 

G.  WASHINGTON. 
His  Excellency's  command. 

STEPHEN  MOYLAN. 

Captain  Samuel  Tucker  is  now  appointed  to  the 
command  of  the  armed  schooner  Hancock,  in  the 
service  of  the  United  States  of  America,  and  is  to 
be  obeyed  as  such. 

By  order  of  the  General. 

JOSEPH  WARD,  Ad.  C. 
BOSTON,  3  Sept.,  1776. 

As  the  letter  of  "  Instructions,"  issued  at  the  camp  in 
Cambridge,  was  one  of  the  earliest  of  the  kind  in  the 
Revolution,  a  copy  is  here  introduced. 

SIR  :  You,  being  appointed  captain  and  commander 
of  the  armed  schooner  Frankly n,  in  the  service  of  the 
United  Colonies,  are  to  pay  all  obedience  and  attention 
to  the  following  instructions  :  — 

i st.  You  are  to  proceed  immediately  on  a  cruise 
against  such  as  may  be  found  on  the  high  seas,  or 
elsewhere,  bound  inward  or  outward,  to  or  from  Boston, 
and  take  and  seize  all  such  vessels  as  are  employed  for 
the  purpose  of  aiding  and  assisting  the  ministerial  troops 
or  navy.  . 

2d.  If  you  should  be  so  successful  as  to  take  any  of 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER.  33 

the  said  vessels,  you  are  immediately  to  send  them  to 
the  nearest  and  safest  port  to  this  camp,  under  a  careful 
prize-master,  directing  him  to  deliver  said  prize  unto 
the  agent  by  me  appointed  there.  If  no  good  agent 
should  be  in  that  port,  notice  is  to  be  given  to  the  nearest 
agent  thereto,  at  the  same  time,  account  of  such  capture 
is  to  be  transmitted  to  headquarters,  with  all  particulars 
thereto  belonging,  by  express. 

3d.  You  are  to  be  very  diligent  and  particular  in  your 
search  after  all  letters  and  other  papers  tending  to  dis- 
cover the  designs  of  the  enemy,  or  any  other  kind,  and 
to  forward  all  such  to  me  as  soon  as  possible. 

4tli.  Whatever  prisoners  you  take  must  be  treated  with 
kindness  and  humanity  —  their  private  stock  of  money 
and  apparel  to  be  given  them,  after  being  duly  searched  ; 
and  when  they  arrive  at  any  port  they  are  to  be  delivered 
up  to  the  agent,  if  any  there  ;  if  not,  to  the  committee  of 
safety  of  such  port. 

5th.  For  your  encouragement  and  that  of  the  other 
officers  and  men  to  diligence  and  activity,  over  and  above 
the  pay,  which  will  be  the  same  as  in  the  army  of  the 
United  Colonies,  you  shall  be  entitled  to  one  third  part 
of  every  vessel  and  cargo,  after  condemnation  in  the 
Court  of  Admiralty,  which  shall  be.  by  you  taken  :  if  the 
prize  is  an  armed  vessel  in  the  ministerial  service  that 
makes  no  resistance,  as  an  inducement  for  you,  your 
officers  and  men,  to  act  with  spirit  and  courage,  one 
half  of  said  vessel  and  cargo  will  be  allotted  to  you  ; 
which  paints  are  to  be  divided  in  the  following  propor- 
tions, viz.  r  captain,  six  shares ;  first  lieutenant,  four 


34 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 


shares  ;  ship-master,  three  shares  ;  steward,  two  shares  : 
mate,  one  and  a  half  shares;  gunner,  one  and  a  half 
shares  ;  gunner's  mate,  one  and  a  half  shares ;  privates, 
one  share  each. 

6th.  As  Captain  Manly  is  appointed  commodore  of  the 
four  schooners  now  fitted  out,  he  will  fix  upon  proper 
signals  by  which  you  may  know  each  other,  and  you 
are  to  obey  him  as  such  in  all  cases ;  and  should  it  so 
happen  that  a  prize  is  taken  in  sight  of  other  vessels  fitted 
out  at  the  Continental,  provincial,  or  private  expense,  the 
rules  which  take  place  among  private  ships  of  war  are 
to  be  observed  in  the  distribution  of  the  prize  money. 

7th.  You  are  to  be  extremely  careful  and  frugal  of 
your  ammunition  and  other  stores,  by  no  means  to  waste 
any  of  it  in  salutes,  or  any  other  purpose,  but  what  is 
absolutely  necessary. 

8th.  As  you,  your  officers,  marines,  and  sailors,  are 
now  engaged  in  the  service  of  the  United  Colonies,  you 
are  in  every  respect  subject  to  the  rules  and  regulations 
formed  by  Congress  for  the  government  of  the  army 
raised  for  the  defence  of  American  liberty  —  a  book  of 
which  you  will  receive  herewith ;  at  the  end  thereof 
you  and  your  officei's  must  subscribe  your  names. 

9th.  As  it  is  very  apparent  that  the  ill  success  which 
attends  the  major  part  of  these  armed  vessels,  since  their 
being  first  fitted  out,  was  owing  to  the  officers  who  com- 
manded not  being  industrious  and  active  in  the  execution 
of  their  duty,  you  will  take  notice  that  a  fondness  to  be 
on  shore,  or  keeping  unnecessarily  in  port,  indolence,  and 
inactivity,  will  meet  with  every  discouragement.  All 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  35 

officers  found  guilty  of  such  crimes,  or  in  any  shape 
neglecting  to  do  all  in  their  power  for  their  and  the 
public  good,  shall  be  dismissed  the  service  with  infamy 
and  be  rendered  incapable  of  any  honorable  station  in, 
the  army  or  navy. 

Signed  by  order  of  his  Excellency,  General  Wash- 
ington. 

STEPHEN  MAYLAN,  C.  G.  M. 

CAMBRIDGE,  2oth  January,  1776. 

GEORGE  WASHINGTON  was  appointed  commander  of 
the  Continental  army  June  15,  and  arrived  at  the  camp 
in  Cambridge  July  3,  *775'  ^e  f°und  a  large  force 
of  brave  and  resolute  men,  poorly  equipped,  and  in 
need  of  firearms,  powder,  and  artillery.  To  meet  these 
emergencies  he  procured  several  vessels,  manned  and 
armed  them,  and  issued  commissions  to  capture  the 
enemy's  ships  and  transports,  which  were  hovering  over 
the  coasts,  and  thus  obtain  supplies  for  his  troops.  The 
first  armed  vessel  sent  to  sea,  after  hostilities  were  com- 
menced with  Great  Britain,  it  is  generally  conceded  by 
writers  of  our  naval  history,  was  the  schooner  Lee,  of 
which  John  Manly  was  commissioned  as  captain.  She 
sailed  from  Marblehead  in  the  latter  part  of  November, 
1775,  and  soon  captured  the  British  brig  Nancy,  prob- 
ably furnished  with  military  stores  for  the  troops  in 
Boston  ;  for  Captain  Manly  found  in  her  an  abundance  of 
ammunition,  muskets,  and  cannon,  and  they  all  reached 
Cambridge  most  opportunely.  It  is  very  likely  this  was 
the  same,  marked  for  Boston,  which  Tucker  saw  in 


36  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

London,  and  afterwards  at  the  headquarters  in  Cam- 
bridge, as  related  on  page  28.  On  the  8th  of  December, 
Captain  Manly  took  three  more  store  ships,  and  brought 
them  safe  into  port.  Other  vessels  of  war  were  sent  out 
that  fall  by  General  Washington  ;  but  they  were  of  little 
avail,  and  less  fortunate  than  those  under  the  command 
of  the  intrepid  Manly.  If  we  may  judge  from  a  clause 
in  the  "Instructions"  to  Captain  Tucker,  "the  ill  suc- 
cess "  which  attended  the  major  part  of  them  was  "  owing 
to  the  neglect  or  indolence  of  the  officers "  who  com- 
manded them.  These  Instructions  evince  at  the  same 
time  the  confidence  reposed  in  Tucker,  and  were  highly 
complimentary  to  his  character. 

And  here  it  is  worthy  of  remark  that  this  document 
bears  the  image  and  superscription  of  Washington's 
mind  ;  his  style  was  peculiar ;  it  emanated  from  a  clear 
head  and  an  unerring  judgment.  No  military  chieftain, 
nor  ruler,  nor  statesman  ever  wrote  in  a  diction  more 
dignified  or  appropriate,  nor  with  more  felicity  or  con- 
ciseness of  expression.  His  language  was  always  trans- 
parent;  you  could  see  through  the  very  thoughts  of  his 
mind.  All  the  orders,  messages,  and  correspondence 
of  this  extraordinary  man  are  full  of  beauty  and  sim- 
plicity, easy  to  be  understood,  and  free  from  all  diplo- 
matic ambiguity.  This  peculiarity  is  noticed  here,  be- 
cause within  a  recent  period  an  attempt  of  the  most 
ungenerous  kind  has  been  made  in  the  Life  of  Alexan- 
der Hamilton,  ascribing  to  him  that  style  and  diction 
which  were  Washington's,  and  his  alone.  His  writings 
differ  as  much  from  those  of  Hamilton  as  Caesar's 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER.  37 

Commentaries  do  from  the  orations  of  Cicero.  Hamilton 
might  sometimes  have  suggested  thoughts  to  Washington, 
but  they  were  only  raw  materials  for  a  wisdom  which 
surpassed  that  of  all  men  to  work  upon.  Hamilton  was 
a  great  and  powerful  writer,  and  his  noble  feelings  would 
have  scorned  to  adorn  his  reputation  with  the  plumage 
which  belongs  to  another. 

In  these  Instructions  to  Captain  Tucker,  though  strict 
discipline  and  vigorous  action  are  required  of  each  naval 
officer,  and  any  neglect  of  duty  is  denounced  with  in- 
flexible severity,  yet  humanity  to  the  captive  beams 
forth  even  to  the  sparing  of  his  little  peculium — his 
stock  of  money,  and  his  apparel,  when  the  hand  of  the 
victor  is  upon  him. 

An  express  with  the  commission  was  hurried  off  to 
Marblehead  —  at  that  time  a  seaport,  with  clusters  of 
small  stores  and  humble  dwellings  dotting  the  shore, 
though  now  a  flourishing  town,  with  about  eight  thousand 
inhabitants.  At  his  paternal  home,  near  the  sea-shore, 
Tucker  and  his  wife  were  living  at  that  time  with  his 
widowed  mother.  The  arrival  of  a  stranger  in  martial 
costume,  on  a  steed  adorned  with  trappings  of  rank,  and 
coming  in  "  hot  haste,"  created  quite  a  sensation  in  the 
village,  and  men,  women,  and  children  gazed  with 
wonder  from  windows,  streets,  and  wharves  at  the 
messenger  as  he  galloped  along.  They  watched  him 
till  he  rode  up  and  dismounted  in  a  yard  where  a  man 
was  chopping  wood. 

The  officer,  seeing  a  person  dressed  in  rather  ordi- 
nary apparel,  —  a  tarpaulin  hat  slouching  over  his  face, 


-73  LIFE   OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

brown  breeches,  pea-jacket,  red  waistcoat,  and  a  flaming 
bandanna  waving  dauntingly  on  his  neck,  —  thought  to 
himself  that  he  must  have  mistaken  the  direction,  and 
exclaimed  roughly,  — 

"  I  say,  fellow,  I  wish  you  would  tell  me  if  the  Honor- 
able Samuel  Tucker  lives  hereabouts?" 

"  Honorable  !  honorable  ! "  says  Tucker,  with  a  shrewd 
look  at  the  stranger ;  "  there  is  not  any  man  of  that 
name  in  Marblehead.  He  must  be  one  of  the  family  of 
Tuckers  in  Salem.  I  am  the  only  Samuel  Tucker  there 
is  here." 

The  express  took  his  packet  from  his  pocket,  looked 
at  the  direction  again  and  again  — "  Lives  in  a  house 
two  story — gable  end  —  standing  by  itself  on  a  hill  —  not 
far  from  the  bay  shoi'e —  piece  of  woods  near  it:  surely 
this  must  be  the  place,"  and  then  eyed  the  young  man 
from  head  to  foot,  and  said,  — 

"  Captain  Glover  told  me  he  knew  him,  and  he  lived 
in  Marblehead,  and  described  his  house  ;  gable  end,  on 
the  sea-side,  none  near  it.  Faith,  this  looks  like  the  very 
place." 

This  parley,  however,  soon  came  to  an  end  ;  for  he 
saw  in  the  gallant  look  and  deportment  of  the  young 
man,  that  he  could  not  be  mistaken ;  for  Tucker,  in 
early  manhood,  had  a  very  striking  appearance,  and, 
from  his  rich  curling  locks  and  expressive  features,  is 
said  to  have  been  quite  handsome.  The  officer  handed 
him  his  commission,  and  after  rest  and  refreshment  re- 
turned to  the  camp  at  Cambridge. 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER.  39 

Nor  did  the  young  captain,  on  whose  fresh  laurels 
the  dews  of  the  evening  were  glittering,  delay  a  moment 
unnecessarily.  At  break  of  dawn  he  was  on  his  way 
to  the  ship,  which  then  lay  at  Beverly,  and  was  soon 
scouring  the  ocean  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy. 


CHAPTER    II. 
THE  CONDITION  OF  THE  COUNTRY  IN  1775- 

IN  the  life  of  a  distinguished  individual  about  to  enter 
the  service  of  his  country  in   the   dark  days  of  the 
Revolution,  it  may  be  well   to  ascend,  as  it  were,  one 
of  the  watch-towers  of  the  country,  and  take  a  bird's-eye 
view  of  the  state  of  things  on  land  and  sea. 

The  condition  of  the  United  Colonies  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  war  with  England  was  discouraging  and 
sometimes  desperate.  Without  finances,  without  mari- 
time resources,  they  began  to  carry  on  vast  military 
operations  against  the  mother  country,  rich  with  the 
spoils  of  commerce,  and  gigantic  in  her  strength  and 
resources.  She  could  boast  of  her  glory  in 

"  The  stirring  memory  of  a  thousand  years." 

On  the  other  hand,  we  had  no  regular,  disciplined  troops, 
and  were  unsupplied  with  the  munitions  of  war.  We 
were  dependent  on  a  militia  suddenly  mustered,  and 
principally  composed  of  yeomanry,  who  left  their  fami- 
lies and  their  farms,  and  were  poorlv  equipped  to  con- 
tend with  the  veteran  legions  of  England.  There  was 
then  no  Military  Academy  at  West  Point,  to  educate  and 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER.  41 

train  a  host  of  officers  to  take  command  and  discipline 
the  troops.  Indeed,  at  that  time  the  whole  country, 
immeasurable  in  extent,  was  sparsely  settled,  and  the 
population  of  the  thirteen  United  Colonies  was  less  than 
three  millions.  Moreover,  England  had  an  immense 
navy ;  we  had  none.  But  we  had  Marblehead  and 
other  ports  ready  to  man  our  ships  with  as  brave  and 
daring  men  as  ever  lived,  the  moment  Washington  had 
created  a  marine  defence. 

When  he  arrived,  in  July,  1775,  at  the  camp  at  Cam- 
bridge, according  to  the  adjutant's  report  on  the  2gth  of 
that  month,  he  found  an  army,  ready  to  receive  and 
welcome  their  commander,  composed  of  i7>355  rank  and 
file.  According  to  Frothingham's  Siege  of  Boston,  — 

Massachusetts  furnished 11,688 

Connecticut, 2,333 

New  Hampshire, 1,664 

Rhode  Island, 1,085 

To  which  may  be  added  Colonel  Gridley's 

regiment  of  artillery, 489 

And  Major  Crane's  company  of  Rhode  Island 

artillery, 96 


Numbering, 17,355 

These  brave  men,  thus  suddenly  assembled,  made  in 
numbers  a  formidable  array.  In  all  kinds  of  apparel,  with 
every  variety  of  weapon,  they  were  destitute  of  military 
resources,  especially  of  guns,  tents,  and  powder,  and 
were  unprovided  for  a  long  campaign.  Yet  in  an  in- 


^2  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

credibly  short  time  they  threw  up  a  formidable  line  of 
intrenchments  from  their  headquarters  in  Cambridge,  to 
the  River  Mystic,  and  then  along  the  heights  of  Roxbury 
and  Dorchester,  shutting  up  Boston  on  the  land  side  by 
a  complete  circumvallation.  Though  suffering  under 
numerous  and  nameless  privations,  they  compelled  the 
British  general,  with  his  disciplined  troops  and  British 
ships  at  his  control,  to  evacuate  Boston  after  a  possession 
of  only  eight  months.  This  transpired  on  the  i7th  of 
March,  1776,  when  General  Washington,  at  the  head  of 
his  army,  entered  victoriously.  It  would  seem  as  though 
Howe,  before  his  retreat,  looking  to  the  armed  heights, 
like  the  Carthaginian  general  of  old,  was  ready  to  ex- 
claim, "  Did  I  not  tell  you,  that  cloud  upon  the  moun- 
tains would  soon  come  down  upon  us?" 

At  the  commencement  of  the  war,  too,  there  was  no 
navy.  The  enemy's  frigates,  privateers,  and  armed 
merchantmen  infested  all  the  seas,  and  threatened  the 
bays,  inlets,  and  shores  of  our  unprotected  coasts,  preying 
upon-  our  defenceless  commerce,  and  endeavoring  to 
sweep  it  from  the  ocean. 

To  protect  the  harbors,  meet  the  severe  exigency  of 
the  army,  and  obtain  military  supplies  by  spoiling  the 
enemy,  General  Washington  immediately,  and  without 
waiting  the  slow  action  of  Congress,  began  to  lay  the 
foundation  of  a  small  but  effective  navy.  The  beginning, 
indeed,  was  very  small  but  it  was  the  infancy  of  Hercules 
in  his  cradle.  Pie  sent  agents  to  Salem,  Beverly,  Mar- 
blehead,  and  Plymouth,  to  procure,  or  hire,  or  purchase, 
some  merchant  vessels  constructed  for  swift  sailing,  and 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  43 

ordered  them  to  be  armed  and  equipped  as  soon  as 
possible  for  cruising ;  and  he  sought  out  the  best  and 
bravest  seamen  he  could  find,  who  were  qualified  to  take 
command  of  them.  He  found  several  such,  and  issued 
commissions  to  them  himself,  until  Congress  had  organ- 
ized a  naval  committee,  and  passed  a  resolve  to  build 
some  ships  of  war. 

The  first  person  General  Washington  commissioned 
as  commander  of  an  armed  vessel,  "  to  take  and  seize  all 
such  vessels  as  are  employed  for  the  purpose  of  aiding 
and  assisting  the  ministerial  troops  or  navy,"  was  Captain 
B  rough  too,  of  Marblehead,  in  the  Hannah,  of  Beverlv. 
This  commission  was  signed  by  Washington,  and  bore 
date  September  2,  1775-  The  second  person  was  Cap- 
tain John  Manly,  in  the  armed  schooner  Lee,  which 
became  afterwards  so  distinguished,  and  was  the  first 
that  got  to  sea,  sailing  from  Marblehead.  His  com- 
mission was  dated  October,  1775.  The  first  legislation 
of  Congress  favoring  a  navy  was  on  the  i3th  of  October, 
1775,  ordering  two  vessels  to  be  equipped,  one  of  ten  and 
one  of  fourteen  guns,  and  on  the  3oth  of  same  month  two 
more  as  cruisers,  one  of  twenty  and  one  of  thirty-six  guns. 

Some  of  the  States,  however,  had  already  fitted  out 
armed  cruisers.  Rhode  Island,  in  June,  1775,  voted  in 
her  General  Assembly  to  procure  and  send  out  two  armed 
schooners,  one  of  ten  guns,  the  other  of  less  metal,  fitted 
for  cruising.  The  larger  one,  the  Katy,  Captain  Whipple 
took  charge  of.  The  legislature  of  Connecticut  also 
resolved  to  fit  and  send  out  two  ;  and  a  law  was  passed 
in  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  authorizing  the 


44 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 


employment  of  armed  vessels,  and  constituting  'a  Court 
of  Admiralty.  This  was  on  the  motion  of  Elbridge 
Gerry,  Esq.  Other  States  also  fitted  out  privateers  ;  as 
the  Lexington,  of  Delaware,  commanded  by  Captain 
Barry,  the  Reprisal,  Andrea  Doria,  Hornet,  Alfred,  and 
several  others,  which  rose  into  note  during  the  war.  By 
the  end  of  October,  1775,  General  Washington  had  com- 
missioned Captains  Broughton,  Selman,  Manly,  Martin- 
dale,  Coit,  and  Adams. 

The  result  of  these  seasonable  and  well-equipped 
cruisers,  got  ready  under  the  orders  and  authority  of 
General  Washington,  was  fortunate  ;  especially  when  we 
consider  not  only  the  vast  importance  of  these  naval 
enterprises  in  aiding  the  supplies  of  our  suffering  army 
and  checking  the  power  of  the  enemy,  but  also  the 
prophetic  view  of  them  which  was  held  by  the  com- 
mander-in-chief ;  for  it  so  happens  that  we  can  look 
back  into  the  mind  of  this  great  man,  and  read  his  inmost 
thoughts  of  their  value.  In  the  letter  of  General  Wash- 
ington to  John  Hancock,  president  of  Congress,  dated  at 
Cambridge,  October  12,  1775'  ^s  this  observation:  "A 
fortunate  capture  of  an  ordnance  ship  would  give  new 
life  to  the  camp  and  an  immediate  turn  to  the  issue  of  the 
campaign." 

The  cruise  of  the  little  schooner  Lee,  under  the  brave 
Captain  Manly,  was  highly  successful.  On  the  29th  of 
November,  i775i  sne  captured  an  armed  ordnance  brig, 
the  Nancy,  from  England,  destined  for  Boston,  and  on 
the  8th  of  December  three  more  prizes ;  but  the  cargo  of 
the  Nancy — just  what  Washington  wished  for  in  his  letter 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  45 

—  was  the  precious  boon,  the  Godsend  to  the  American 
army  ;  for  she  was  laden  with  a  variety  of  munitions  of 
war,  which  they  greatly  needed:  a  thirteen  inch  brass 
mortar,  several  brass  cannon,  two  thousand  muskets, 
thirty  thousand  round  shot  of  various  sizes,  one  hundred 
thousand  flints,  and  a  large  quantity  of  powder,  with 
divers  tools  for  mounding  or  mining  were  among  her 
military  supplies  for  the  army  in  Boston.  The  prize  was 
carried  into  Cape  Ann  harbor,  and  the  cargo  soon  reached 
headquarters.  A  few  months  after,  Boston  having  been 
just  evacuated  by  the  enemy,  a  remarkable  instance  of 
supplies  occurred.  Captain  Mugford,  in  the  small  armed 
vessel  Franklin,  captured  the  Hope,  from  England,  a 
transport  with  fifteen  hundred  barrels  of  powder  and 
stores,  which  all  went  directly  to  the  colonial  army. 

When  the  marine  committee,  appointed  by  Congress, 
were  holding  a  secret  session,  a  messenger  in  his  joy 
burst  in  upon  them  with  the  schedule  of  the  cargo  of 
the  Nancy  ;  and  Mr.  Adams,  the  moment  he  saw  it  con- 
tained military  stores  so  much  needed  by  the  troops, 
earnestly  exclaimed,  "We  must  succeed — Providence 
is  with  us  —  we  must  succeed."  This  anecdote  is  con- 
densed from  Cooper's  Naval  History  ;  and  the  author 
of  that  work  justly  remarks,  "  The  first  important  relief 
was  obtained  through  the  cruisers ;  and  it  is  scarcely  too 
much  to  add,  that  without  the  succors  that  were  procured 
in  this  manner,  during  the  years  1775  an<^  X77^'  ^e 
Revolution  must  have  been  checked  in  the  outset." 

Massachusetts  had  long  been  distinguished  for  her 
daring  adventures  and  maritime  prowess.  In  the  French 


46  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

war  of  1744,  this  colony,  under  Governor  Shirley,  gath- 
ered a  large  body  of  troops,  which  Colonel  William  Pep- 
perrell,  of  Kittery,  Maine,  took  command  of;  and  she 
fitted  out  a  squadron  of  twelve  armed  vessels,  which 
Captain  Edward  Tyng,  of  Massachusetts,  directed  ;  and 
sent  them  to  the  attack  of  Louisburg,  the  key  of  the  St. 
Lawrence.  Commodore  Warren,  with  his  English  fleet, 
joined  them  ;  and  this  celebrated  fortress  was  invested  by 
land,  and  the  harbor  blockaded  by  sea.  In  forty-seven 
days  Louisburg  was  surrendered  ;  but  by  the  peace  of 
Aix  la  Chapelle  it  wras  restored  to  the  French,  who 
fortified  it  anew.  When  another  war  broke  out  between 
England  and  France,  this  capital  of  Cape  Breton,  whose 
battlements  frown  over  the  south-east  waters  of  that  rich 
island,  was  again  ardently  coveted  ;  and  in  1757,  a  fleet  of 
seventeen  sail,  and  a  force  of  eleven  thousand  troops, 
under  Admiral  Holbourn,  invested  the  place,  but  with  far 
different  result.  It  was  a  failure.  It  is  referred  to  here, 
because  it  was  to  Louisburg  the  Royal  George  was 
bound,  in  order  to  intercept  a  French  cruiser,  when 
Samuel  Tucker,  in  that  English  frigate,  first  began  his 
education  in  the  navy  ;  and  because  Massachusetts  had 
long  been  a  nursery  of  intrepid  and  able  seamen. 

The  colonial  armed  vessels  at  this  period  of  the  Revolu- 
tion were  none  of  them  large,  being  principally  sloops 
and  schooners,  intended  and  fitted  out  for  cruising,  and 
better  calculated  for  speed  in  taking  prizes  and  store- 
ships  than  for  a  conflict  gun  to  gun  with  larger  and 
heavy-armed  ships  of  war.  Those  afterwards  ordered 
to  be  built  by  Congress  were  from  six  hundred  to  a 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  47 

thousand  tons.  Their  heaviest  metal,  of  eighteen  pound- 
ers, nines  and  twelves,  with  sixes  and  fours  on  the  quarter- 
deck and  forecastle,  was  generally  adopted.  Carronades, 
we  are  told  by  Cooper,  had  not  then  been  invented, 
though  they  came  into  use  before  the  termination  of  the 
war.  "  This  gun  obtains  its  name  from  the  crrcu instance 
of  its  having  been  first  used  at  the  village  of  Carron,  in 
Scotland,  a  place  celebrated  for  its  founderies,  as  the 
bayonet  derives  its  appellation  from  Bayonne  in  France." 

The  flag,  before  Congress  had  ordained  a  national 
standard  in  1777,  some  say,  was  a  white  bunting  with 
a  spreading  green  tree,  the  motto,  "  Appeal  to  Heaven  ;  " 
others  describe  the  naval  banner  then  used  by  the  cruisers 
as  having  a  device  representing  a  pine  tree  with  a  rattle- 
snake under  it,  coiled  at  the  root,  with  the  motto,  "•  Don't 
tread  on  me."  Surely  the  first  ensign  evinced  a  purer 
and  loftier  taste.  Congress,  however,  soon  resolved  on 
a  national  flag,  bearing  thirteen  stripes,  alternately  red 
and  white,  united  with  thirteen  stars,  white,  in  a  blue 
field,  representing  a  constellation.  This  was  established 
June  14,  1777,  according  to  Felt's  Annals  of  Salem,  p. 
272.  Congress  also,  on  the  report  of  the  marine  com- 
mittee, September  5,  177^?  regulated  the  uniform  of  a 
captain  in  the  navy,  and  required  "  blue  cloth  with 
red  lapels,  slash  cuffs,  stand-up  collar,  flat  yellow 
buttons,  blue  breeches,  and  red  waistcoat  with  narrow 
lace." 

The  necessity  and  importance  of  a  navy,  soon  after  the 
commencement  of  hostilities,  arrested  the  attention  of 
Congress;  and  in  October,  1775,  they  passed  a  resolve 


48 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER. 


to  fit  out  two  armed  vessels,  one  of  fourteen  and  one  of 
ten  guns,  and  send  them  on  a  cruise.  At  the  close  of 
the  year  they  ordered  several  more  to  be  built,  to  the 
number  of  thirteen  ships,  at  the  navy  yards  in  different 
States.  They  were  classed  and  named  as  follows  :  — 


Washington,  of  32 


Raleigh, 

"  32 

Hancock,* 

"    °2 

Randolph, 

"  32 

Warren, 

"  32 

Virginia, 

"  28 

Trumbull, 

"  28 

Effingham, 

"  28 

Congress, 

"  28 

Providence, 

"  28 

Boston, 

"  24 

Delaware, 

"  24 

Montgomery,  "  24 


guns,  to  be  built  in  Pennsylvania. 

"         "  "  New  Hampshire. 

"         "  "  Massachusetts. 

"         "  "  Pennsylvania. 

"         "  "  Rhode  Island. 

"         "  "  Maryland. 

"         "  "  Connecticut. 

"  Pennsylvania. 

"  New  York. 

"  Rhode  Island. 

"  Massachusetts. 

"  Pennsylvania. 

"  New  York. 


These  ships  of  war  were  soon  on  the  stocks.  In  the 
Boston  Gazette  of  Monday,  May  4,  1778,  is  this  par- 
agraph :  "  Tuesday  last,  ship  Hancock,  thirty-six  guns, 
launched  at  Salisbury." 


*  It  should  be  remarked  that  there  were  in  the  Revolution  three 
armed  vessels  of  this  name :  i.  The  schooner  Hancock,  of  Mas- 
sachusetts; 2.  The  privateer  Hancock,  of  Philadelphia,  com- 
manded by  Captain  Wingate  Newman,  who  captured  the  armed 
brig  Polly,  and  took  many  prizes;  3.  The  frigate  Hancock, 
above  named. 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 


49 


Congress  also  purchased  the  Lexington,  of  fourteen, 
the  Alfred,  of  twenty-four,  the  Columbus,  of  twenty,  the 
Andrea  Doria,  of  fourteen,  the  Providence,  of  twelve, 
guns,  and  some  others,  to  the  number  of  thirteen,  making, 
when  the  frigates  were  completed,  a  respectable  arma- 
ment of  twenty-six  vessels  in  the  American  navy ;  but 
Cooper  says,  only  six  of  the  frigates  ordered  by  Congress 
ever  got  to  sea. 

The  first  regular  cruise,  under  the  regulations  of  Con- 
gress in  establishing  a  navy,  is  said  to  have  been  by  the 
sloop  of  war  Hornet,  ten  guns,  and  the  Wasp,  of  eight, 
which  sailed  from  Baltimore.  They  took  many  prizes, 
and  were  worthy  of  their  names  in  bitterly  annoying  the 
enemy's  merchantmen. 

In  the  American  Archives,  Fourth  Series,  Vol.  IV. 
p.  910,  there  is  a  statement  of  the  officers  of  the  armed 
vessels  fitted  out  by  order  of  General  Washington,  on 
the  ist  of  February,  1776. 


HANCOCK. 

John  Manly,    .     .  Captain  and  Com.,  ist  January,  1776. 

Richard  Stiles,     .  ist  Lieutenant,      .  ist  January,  1776. 

Nicholas  Ogilby,    2d  Lieutenant,.     .  ist  January,  1776. 


LEE. 

Daniel  Waters,     .  Captain, 
William  Kissick,  .  ist  Lieutenant, 
John  Gill,    .          .  2d  Lieutenant, 
John  Diamond,     .  Master,  .     , 


2oth  January,  1776. 
2Oth  January,  1776. 
2oth  January,  1776- 
2Oth  January,  1776. 


CO  LIFE  OF  SAMUEL  TUCKER. 

FRANKLIN. 

Samuel  Tucker,  .  .Captain,  .  .  2Oth  January,  1776. 
Edmund  Fettyplace,  ist  Lieutenant,  2Oth  January,  1776. 
Francis  Salter,  .  .  2d  Lieutenant,  2Oth  January,  1776. 

HARRISON. 

Charles  Dyer,  .  .  Captain,  .  .  2oth  January,  1776. 
Tho.  Dote,  .  .  .  ist  Lieutenant,  23d  January,  1776. 
John  Wigglesworth,  2d  Lieutenant,  2oth  January,  1776. 

LYNCH. 

John  Ayres,  .  .  .Captain,.  .  .  ist  February,  1776. 
John  Rocke,  .  .  .  1st  Lieutenant,  ist  February,  1776. 
John  Tiley,  .  .  .  2d  Lieutenant,  ist  February,  1776. 

WARREN. 
William  Burke,    .     .  Captain,      .     .  ist  February,  1776. 

In  this  same  work  there  is  an  interesting  account  of  the 
escape  of  Captain  Manly,  when  he  was  pursued  by  an 
armed  brig  from  Boston  ;  and  seeing  he  must  be  captured, 
he  ran  his  vessel  ashore  south  of  the  river  in  Scituate.  The 
brig  then  anchored  and  fired  upon  him  at  least  a  hundred 
times ;  but  fortunately  no  one  was  killed  or  wounded. 
One  ball  passed  into  the  cabin  within  a  few  inches  of 
the  captain's  body,  who  lay  there  sick.  The  next  day 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  51 

a  hundred  and  fifty  balls  were  picked  up  on  the  sea- 
shore, where  the  schooner  lay.  It  was  said,  that  after 
the  brig  ceased  firing,  she  sent  her  boats  to  set  the  vessel 
on  fire  ;  but  the  enemy  was  driven  oft'  by  the  people  who 
collected  on  the  spot,  and  they  were  compelled  to  weigh 
anchor  and  leave  her.  She  was  soon  got  oft'  and 
repaired. 

Early  among  the  thirteen  frigates  ordered  to  be  built 
was  the  Randolph,  the  command  of  which  was  given  to 
Captain  Biddle,  who  sailed  on  his  first  cruise  in  her  at 
the  commencement  of  1777.  He  captured  several  prizes 
and  one  armed  vessel,  and  the  True  Briton,  twenty 
guns.  In  an  expedition  in  March,  1778,  she  was  blown 
up  in  a  contest  with  the  British  ship  Yarmouth,  oft' 
Barbadoes. 

In  May,  1777?  Captain  Manly  took  charge  of  the 
frigate  Hancock,  thirty-two  guns,  and  Captain  Hector 
McNiel,  of  the  Boston,  twenty-four.  The  Hancock  took 
the  Fox,  twenty-eight  guns.  Afterwards  sailing  together, 
they  encountered  the  double-decker  British  frigate  the 
Rainbow,  forty-four  guns,  and  the  Hancock,  unsupported 
by  the  Boston,  Captain  McNiel,  was  obliged  to  strike. 
Captain  McNiel  was  much  blamed,  and  in  consequence 
was  removed  from  the  service. 

Esek  Hopkins  was  the  first  and  last  commander-in- 
chief  ever  appointed,  "and  with  his  squadron,  the  Alfred, 
twenty-four,  Columbus,  twenty,  Doria,  fourteen,  Cabot, 
fourteen,  Providence,  twelve,  Hornet,  ten,  Wasp,  and 
Fly,  was  ordered  to  cruise  to  the  southward.  He  sailed 
to  New  Providence,  one  of  the  Bahama  Isles,  which  he 


52  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

invaded,  destroyed  two  small  forts,  carried  cff  several 
guns  with  some  ammunition,  and  then  retreated.  He  has 
been  severely  judged  for  this  wanton  invasion,  and  it 
was  thought  beneath  the  dignity  of  Congress  to  justify 
this  act.  But  it  was  chiefly  by  his  unskilful  and  in- 
judicious attack  on  the  Glasgow,  an  English  ship  of 
twenty  guns,  that  he  lost  his  credit,  and  by  a  vote  of 
censure  was  dismissed  from  the  service. 

In  reflecting  upon  Commodore  Hopkins's  invasion  of 
New  Providence,  a  candid  mind  would  make  some  al- 
lowance on  the  score,  of  retaliation  for  the  outrageous 
and  most  unjustifiable  attack  upon  Falmouth,  in  Maine, 
in  the  outset  of  the  war.  The  peaceful  and  defenceless 
inhabitants  of  that  flourishing  seaport  were  invaded  in 
a  most  wanton  manner,  and  four  hundred  and  fourteen 
houses  and  stores  set  on  fire  and  destroyed,  October  iS, 
1775,  by  Lieutenant  Mowatt,  of  the  royal  navy,  with  a 
strong  force  under  the  orders  of  Admiral  Greaves,  then 
in  Massachusetts  Bay,  with  a  large  squadron.  War  itself 
in  its  mildest  forms  is  terrible  enough  ;  but  such  a  savage 
sacrifice  of  life  and  property  by  fire  and  sword  can  never 
be  justified  by  the  plea  of  necessity,  espcciallv  in  a  war 
conducted  by  Christian  nations.  It  was  said  that  some 
offence  was  given  to  a  high  officer  by  one  of  the  inhabit- 
ants, and  the  admiral,  to  soothe  his  pride  and  mortifica- 
tion, took  this  mode  of  gratifying  Ms  inhuman  vengeance. 
Again  it  was  said  that  General  Gage,  on  the  6th  day 
of  October,  i775>  onty  gave  orders,  from  his  camp  in 
Boston,  to  the  admiral  to  take  some  armed  vessels,  and 
a  detachment  of  troops,  and  then  "  to  annoy  and  destroy 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  53 

all  the  ships  belonging  to  the  rebels  in  the  harbors  on 
the  coasts,"  and  that  Lieutenant  Mowatt  exceeded  his  au- 
thority. Such  was  the  defence  set  up  by  English  writers 
to  screen  the  ministry ;  but  the  stain  has  never  been 
wiped  away.  (See  History  of  Portland,  by  Willis.) 

The  rank  of  the  officers  of  the  navy  was  fixed  by  a 
resolution  of  Congress,  October  10,  1776.  Seniority  in 
office,  as  captain,  appears  to  have  been  their  rule  of 
estimation,  and  no  one  could  ever  be  recognized  as 
such  until  commissioned  in  due  form.  The  rank  of 
commodore  was  left  in  some  uncertainty,  as  a  commis- 
sion to  .him  co  nomine  was  never  issued.  The  title, 
therefore,  did  not  originate  by  act  of  Congress. 

The  word  commodore  is  derived  from  comandatore, 
Italian,  or  comendador,  Spanish,  for  commander.  In  Eng- 
land it  is  applied  to  an  officer  in  the  navy  who  is  a  tempo- 
rary rear-admiral.  In  our  navy,  before  the  recent  regula- 
tion of  Congress  touching  the  title  of  the  superior  of- 
ficers, that  of  the  admiral  was  unknown.  It  is  stated 
by  Totten,  that  commodore  is  "  a  title  given  by  courtesy 
to  a  senior  captain,  when  two  or  more  ships  of  war  are 
cruising  in  company."  The  officer  who  commands  a 
squadron  of  ships  takes  this  title.  It  is  a  distinction  of 
long  standing  in  this  country;  for  in  March,  1745,  Cap- 
tain Tyng,  wlft)  commanded  the  colonial  fleet  in  the 
attack  on  Louisburg,  was  called  "  Commodore  Tyng." 
On  December  22,  1775,  Esek  Hopkins  was  appointed 
Commander-in-chief  in  the  navy.  "  His  official  appella- 
tion," according  to  Cooper,  "  appears  to  have  been  that 
of  '  commodore.' "  The  colony  of  Pennsylvania  gave 


54 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 


Captain  Hazlewood  that  title  in  his  commission.  It 
was  similar  in  Captain  Barren's  commission  from  Vir- 
ginia, and  in  Captain  James  Nicholson's,  from  Maryland. 
In  the  letter  of  General  Washington  to  Captain  Manly, 
dated  at  Cambridge,  January  28,  1776,  the  address  is 
to  "  Commodore  John  Manly,  of  the  Hancock,  Armed 
Schooner,"  as  may  be  seen  in  American  Archives,  Vol. 
IV.  1775  and  1776. 

The  rank  of  the  captains  then  established  by  Congress 
is  as  follows  :  — 

1.  James  Nicholson.  13.  John  B.  Hopkins. 

2.  John  Manly.  14.  John  Hodge. 

3.  Hector  McNiel.  15.  William  Hallock. 

4.  Dudley  Saltonstall.  16.  Hoysted  Hacker. 

5.  Nicholas  Biddle.  17.  Isaiah  Robinson. 

6.  Thomas  Thompson.  18.  John  Paul  Jones. 

7.  John  Barry.  19.  James  Josiah. 

8.  Thomas  Read.  20.  Elisha  Hinman. 

9.  Thomas  Grennall.  21.  Joseph  Olney. 

10.  Charles  Alexander.  22.  James  Robinson. 

11.  Lambert  Wickes.  23.  John  Young. 

12.  Abraham  Whipple.  24.  Elisha  Warner. 

It  might  be  asked,  Why  is  not  the  nfme  of  Samuel 
Tucker  found  in  this  catalogue  of  captains  made  October 
10,  1776?  Without  disparagement  to  him,  the  question 
is  easily  answered.  He  returned  from  England  in  the 
fall  of  1775)  as  already  stated,  was  appointed  captain 
January  20,  1776,  and  had  begun  to  form  a  naval  char- 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  55 

acter.  It  was  after  this  list  of  prominent  commanders 
was  made  out,  that  he  rose  into  public  notice  by  his 
remarkable  deserts.  Having  taken  this  general  view  of 
the  country,  we  shall  find  him  at  his  post  doing  his  duty 
manfully. 


CHAPTER    III. 

His  FIRST  CRUISE  IN  THE  FRANKLIN.  —  TRANSFERRED 
TO  THE  BOSTON. 

IMMEDIATELY  on  his  arrival  at  Beverly,  he  began 
to  get  the  Franklin  ready  for  sea  ;  and  he  must  have 
proceeded  with  great  rapidity  in  making  his  cruises,  for 
in  Dr.  Sparks's  Writings  and  Correspondence  of  Wash- 
ington (Vol.  III.  p.  281)  there  is  a  letter  from  General 
Washington  to  the  president  of  Congress,  dated  February 
9,  1776*  m  which  he  observes,  "  Captain  Waters  and 
Captain  Tucker,  who  commanded  two  of  the  armed 
schooners,  have  taken,  and  sent  into  Gloucester,  a  large 
brigantine  .  .  .  one  of  the  transports  in  the  ministerial 
service." 

There  is  a  letter  written  to  him  by  his  friend  Captain 
John  Glover,  dated  Marblehead,  February  3,  1776,  con- 
gratulating him  and  Captain  Waters  on  the  success  of 
their  last  cruise,  and  informing  him  that  a  large  transport 
ship  of  sixteen  guns,  strongly  manned,  had  recently  left 
Boston,  and  was  "last  seen  off  Cape  Cod,  chasing  a 
fishing  vessel.  He  warns  him  to  look  out  for  her,  and 
not  fall  into  her  hands. 

After   the   evacuation   of  Boston,  March   17,  he   cap- 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  57 

^ 

turecl  a  transport,  loaded  with  powder  and  stores,  which 
was  taken  near  the  British  fleet  off  Long  Island,  and 
almost  under  the  protection  of  the  enemy's  guns.  The 
pri/e  was  most  fortunate  and  providential.  The  Ameri- 
can army  was  then  in  a  very  destitute  state  for  want 
of  ammunition,  and  each  soldier  was  reduced  to  only 
a  few  rounds  of  cartridges.  For  this  timely  exploit 
Captain  Tucker  received  the  thanks  of  General  Wash- 
ington and  the  gratitude  of  the  army. 

It  was  probably  the  same  capture  described  to  the 
writer  of  this  life  by  a  very  aged  surviving  friend  of  the 
captain.  The  narrator  remarked  that  he  had  often  heard 
Tucker  relate  the  particulars,  before  his  decease.  It  is 
substantially  as  follows  :  — 

A  small  schooner,  of  eighty  tons,  was  fitted  out  in 
Marblebead,  mounting  four  guns  and  six  small  swivels, 
for  a  short  cruise  ;  and  while  his  own  vessel  was  under- 
going some  repairs,  Captain  Tucker  was  requested  to 
take  command  of  her.  The  colors  which  were  hoisted 
were  the  handiwork  of  Mrs.  Tucker.  With  a  moderate 
breeze  he  got  under  way  and  sailed  towards  Cape  Cod. 
Night  came  on,  and  a  cannonading  was  heard  from  a 
distance,  to  which  they  directed  their  course;  and  draw- 
ing nearer,  it  was  perceived  that  the  firing  came  from 
an  English  armed  ship,  attacked  by  two  privateers,  which 
she  beat  oft"  until  they  left  her,  and  she  kept  on  her  way 
to  Boston  harbor.  Captain  Tucker,  sailing  'faster,  fol- 
lowed her.  It  was  now  midnight;  and  discovering 
another  sail  at  a  distance,  and  the  breeze  being  light, 
he  sent  his  boat  to  reconnoitre  the  strange  vessel,  with 


58  LIFE   OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

a  dark  lantern,  and  gave  orders,  if  she  proved  to  be  an 
English  cruiser,  the  bargemen  were  to  suspend  the  light 
near  the  water;  if  an  American  vessel,  then  to  elevate 
it  in  the  air.  Seeing  in  a  short  time  the  light  was  raised 
on  high,  he  sailed  towards  her,  and  found  her  to  be  a 
cruiser  fitted  out  by  Rhode  Island.  An  agreement  was 
made  between  the  commanders  to  join  forces  and  attack 
the  Englis'h  ship  of  war;  and  as  Captain  Tucker  held  a 
commission  under  the  United  Colonies,  the  command 
of  both  vessels  devolved  on  him. 

In  the  mean  time  the  wind  was  dying  away  ;  and  in 
pursuit  of  the  English  ship  — which  proved  to  be  a  trans- 
port with  troops  on  board  for  Boston,  and  which  proba- 
bly had  not  heard  of  the  evacuation  of  that  place  by  the 
British  —  the  two  American  cruisers  entered  the  channel 
on  each  side  of  Long  Island,  Captain  Tucker  in  the 
western  channel,  called  Broad  Sound,  and  the  Rhode 
Island  vessel  in  the  eastern  ;  and  he  soon  overtook  the 
transport,  which  had  got  aground.  He  fired  a  number 
of  guns  at  her,  and  several  shots  were  discharged  in 
return  ;  but  they  passed  over  the  heads  of  his  own  crew, 
and  endangered  the  Rhode  Island  cruiser,  which  lay  on 
one  side  of  the  island,  becalmed,  and  in  the  range  of  the 
enemy's  guns,  so  that  she  had  to  move  from  her  position, 
and  could  render  him  no  assistance.  The  sails  of 
Tucker's  vessel  were  completely  riddled,  and  his  spars 
and  rigging  suffered  from  the  heavy  discharges  of  the 
enemy,  while,  in  return,  his  Own  well-aimed  shot  were 
pouring  destruction  among  the  troops  and  crew  of  the 
enemy.  This  transport  was  from  Scotland.  Thirty-six 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  59 

of  her  men  lay  dead,  and  soon  her  brave  commander  was 
killed.  Then  she  struck  her  flag ;  and  the  ammunition, 
clothing,  and  stores  for  the  British  army,  became  the 
spoil  of  Tucker.  The  troops  on  board  of  her  were  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Frazer.  The  dead  were  buried 
the  next  day  on  the  island  ;  and  it  was  a  heart-rending 
sight  to  see  the  women,  who  had  accompanied  these 
troops,  weeping  with  loud  lamentations,  and  to  hear 
the  funeral  dirge  on  the  bagpipes.  They  played  an 
ancient  air  of  the  Highlanders  ;  and  the  narrator  observed, 
"  Commodore  Tucker,  who  had  a  musical  soul,  would 
often  whistle  the  plaintive  notes,  as  he  wound  up  this 
story  of  one  of  his  earliest  battles." 

Such  is  the  narrative  of  Captain  Daniel  Weston,  of 
Bremen,  —  a  worthy  and  intelligent  old  gentleman,  re- 
spected by  all  who  knew  him,  —  to  the  writer  of  this 
Sketch.  He  may  have  erred  in  the  exact  date,  and 
have  forgotten  some  particulars  ;  but  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  aged  persons  who  retain  their  mental  powers 
have  usually  a  better  recollection  of  what  was  said  or 
done  in  their  early  days,  .than  of  recent  events.  This  cap- 
ture is,  without  doubt,  the  same  referred  to  by  Dr.  Sparks  ; 
and  the  copy  of  a  letter  of  Samuel  Tucker  to  Honorable 
John  Holmes,  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  Congress, 
bearing  date  March  6,  1818,  and  which  has  recently  been 
found,  strengthens  the  account  given  by  Captain  Weston, 
though  in  some  particulars  varying.  The  copy  is  in 
Tucker's  own  handwriting :  therein,  among  other  things, 
he  remarks,  — 

"  I  will  give  a  sketch  of  our  proceedings  and  doings  at 


60  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

the  commencement  of  the  Revolution.  The  first  cruise 
I  made  was  performed  in  January,  1776;  and  I  had  to 
purchase  the  small  arms  to  encounter  the  enemy  with 
money  from  my  own  pocket,  or  go  without  them  ;  and 
the  consort  above  mentioned  [his  wife  in  feeble  health] 
made  the  banner  I  fought  under ;  the  field  of  which  was 
white,  and  the  union  was  green,  made  therein  in  the 
figure  of  a  pine  tree,  made  of  cloth  of  her  own  pur- 
chasing and  at  her  own  expense.  Those  colors  I  wore 
in  honor  of  tlie  country  —  which  has  so  nobly  rewarded 
me  for  my  past  services  \_ironica,r\  —  and  the  love  of  their 
maker,  until  I  fell  in  with  Colonel  Archibald  Campbell, 
in  the  ship  George,  and  brig  Annabella,  transports  with 
about  two  hundred  and  eighty  Highland  troops  on  board, 
of  General  Frazer's  corps.  About  ten  P.  M.  a  severe 
conflict  ensued,  which  held  about  two  hours  and  twenty 
minutes.  I  conquered  them  with  great  carnage  on  their 
side,  it  being  in  the  night,  and  my  small  barque,  about 
seventy  tons  burden,  being  very  low  in  the  water,  I 
received  no  damage  in  loss  of  men,  but  lost  a  complete 
set  of  new  sails  by  the  passing  of  their  balls ;  then  the 
white  field  and  pine  tree  union  were  riddled  to  atoms. 
I  was  then  immediately  supplied  with  a  new  suit  of  sails 
and  a  new  suit  of  colors,  made  of  canvas  and  bunting, 
of  my  own  prize  goods.  I  then  went  on  duty  again.  I 
quit  here,  fearing  any  further  detail  would  be  too  tedious, 
as  I  could  fill  a  dozen  sheets  from  memory." 

What  number  of  cruises  he  made,  or  prizes  he  captured, 
while  in  the  command  of  the  Franklin,  we  have  no  means 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  6l 

of  ascertaining.  That  lie  was  very  successful  there  can 
be  no  doubt.  He  did  not  continue  long  in  the  command 
of  that  vessel ;  for  in  March  or  April  of  this  year  he  was 
transferred  to  the  armed  schooner  Hancock.  In  the 
American  Archives  (Vol.  VI.  p.  399,  Fourth  Series) 
there  is  a  letter  from  General  Ward  to  General  Wash- 
ington, dated  May  9,  177°^  from  which  is  the  following 
extract :  u  I  have  the  pleasure  to  inform  your  Excel- 
lency, that  on  the  lyth  instant  [the  last  month  must  have 
been  meant]  Captain  Samuel  Tucker,  commander  of 
the  schooner  Hancock,  took  two  brigs  in  the  bay  within 
sight  of  a  man-of-war,  and  carried  them  to  Lynn.  One 
of  them  from  Cork,  ninety  tons  burden,  laden  with  beef, 
pork,  butter,  and  coal ;  the  other  from  the  Western 
Islands,  laden  with  wine  and  fruit,  about  one  hund-H 
tons  burden." 

In  the  same  work  (Vol.  I.  p.  662,  Fifth  Series)  :  "July 
29,  17/6.  Yesterday,  was  carried  into  Marblehead,  taken 
by  the  privateers  Hancock,  Captain  Tucker,  and  the 
Franklin,  Captain  Skinner,  the  ship  Peggy,  commanded 
by  James  Kennedy  ;  mounts  6  three,  and  2  two  poundeus  : 
bound  from  Halifax  to  New  York."  The  same  is  also 
mentioned  in  General  Ward's  letter  to  General  Wash- 
ington, July  29,  1776,  as  appears  in  the  above  work 
(Vol.  III.  p.  68)  :  "Captains  Skinner  and  Tucker,  —  prize 
brig;  and  yesterday  a  brigautiae  from  Scotland,  worth 
£15,000  sterling." 

And  again  this  voluminous  work,  the  Archives,  is 
referred  to,  where  the  capture  of  the  brig  Lively  is 
mentioned,  and  the  grateful  acknowledgments  of  her  * 


62  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

captain  and  owner  to  Captain  Tucker  for  his  generous 
treatment.  A  copy  of  the  letter  or  statement  is  here 
introduced,  as  these  records  of  a  huge  mass  of  events  and 
news,  spreading  over  many  large  folio  volumes,  are  not 
easy  of  access  to  readers  in  general  who  reside  in  the 
country. 

Statement    of  \  Nicholas    Martindale    and     George 
Me  Cree. 

In  justice  to  Captain  Samuel  Tucker,  of  the  Hancock, 
in  return  for  his  civilities,  we  hereby  certify,  that,  on  the 
29th  of  October  last,  we  were  taken  in  the  brig  Lively, 
bound  from  Air  to  Newfoundland,  by  the  Hancock,  in 
the  Continental  service,  and  brought  into  this  port  on 
the  I3th  current;  that  Captain  Samuel  Tucker,  com- 
manding the  Hancock,  allowed  us  to  remain  on  board 
the  Lively  till  her  arrival  here,  where  we  were  treated 
with  all  manner  of  civility  and  good  usage.  Mr.  Tucker, 
he  not  only  gave  liberty  for  Mr.  McCree,  the  master, 
mate,  and  hands  of  the  Lively,  to  take  all  their  clothes 
and  private  adventures,  &c.,  for  their  own  particular 
account,  but  after  some  of  the  sailors  had  been  robbed 
of  some  goods  and  clothes  by  the  people,  which  were 
missing  for  some  days,  he  was  at  the  pains  to  search  for 
the  goods,  &c.,  which  he  found  and  delivered,  and  such 
part  as  could  not  be  found  he  generously  paid  the  full 
price  out  of  his  own  pocket.  He  has  likewise  been  at 
all  manner  of  pains,  since  we  arrived,  to  introduce  us 
to  such  gentlemen  as  could  be  of  any  service  to  us, 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER.  63 

and  has  done  everything  in  his  power  to  make  matters 
as  easy  and  agreeable  to  us  as  possible  in  our  present 
situation. 

Given  tinder  our  hands,  as  witness  our  subscriptions,  at 
Boston,  this  3Oth  day  of  November,  1776. 

Commander  of  the  Lively, 

NICHOLAS  MARTINDALE. 
Owner  of  the  Cargo, 

GEORGE  McCREE. 

He  captured,  this  year,  in  the  Franklin  and  in  the  Han- 
cock, a  great  number  of  ships,  brigs,  and  smaller  vessels, 
from  thirty  to  forty,  many  of  them  with  very  valuable 
cargoes,  and  some  of  them  armed  vessels.  In  his  life- 
time he  had  a  complete  list,  but  it  was  lost  with  Dr. 
Shaw's  papers,  before  referred  to.  The  above  number 
will  not  appear  an  extravagant  statement,  if  the  immense 
losses  the  British  commerce  sustained  in  that  war  with 
the  American  Colonies  are  considered.  In  the  Naval 
History  of  the  United  States,  by  Thomas  Clark,  there 
is  a  list  of  English  ships  and  vessels  captured  by  Ameri- 
can privateers  during  the  year  1776,  including  the  names, 
masters,  where  destined,  and  tonnage.  Three  hundred 
and  forty-two  vessels  were  taken,  forty-four  recaptured, 
eighteen  released,  and  five  burned.  (See  Vol.  II.  p.  168.) 

It  was  not  long  after  his  appointment  to  the  command 
of  the  Franklin,  that,  Commodore  Manly  having  been 
confined  at  his  home  in  Beverly,  Tucker  received  a 
commission  as  commodore,  signed  by  Samuel  Adams, 
chairman  of  the  naval  committee,  and  others.  This 


64  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

commission  cannot  be  found  among  his  papers.  Colonel 
Hinds,  his  grandson,  told  the  writer  he  was  sure  he  had 
seen  such  a  commission,  and  had  repeatedly  heard  Cap- 
tain Tucker  speak  of  it;  and  from  the  title  of  "  Commo- 
dore," by  which,  ever  since  the  Revolution,  he  has  been 
known  and  addressed,  there  is  no  doubt  that  it  justly 
belonged  to  him  at  a  future  period  of  the  war,  if  not  so 
early  as  1776.  If,  however,  the  command  of  more  than 
one  ship,  when  two  or  more,  a  fleet  or  squadron,  are  sent 
out,  entitles  the  captain  to  that  appellation,  the  following 
extract  will  be  in  point :  — 

"Jonathan  Glover  to  the  Massachusetts  Council.  April 
9,  1776.  May  it  please  your  Honors:  The  Committee 
of  Correspondence  have  this  day  received  from  Captain 
Samuel  Tucker,  commanding  the  Continental  armed 
vessels,  twenty-two  persons,  who  were  in  the  brigantine 
lately  taken  by  Captain  John  Manly,  from  Boston,  bound 
to  Halifax,  among  whom  are  four  soldiers,  with  their 
wives." 

In  the  background  of  the  farm  occupied  by  Deacon 
Gatchell,  his  father-in-law,  overlooking  the  Gatchell 
Mills,  there  is  a  lofty  hill,  which  commands  a  very 
extensive  piece  of  scenery.  Marblehead,  with  bays  and 
inlets  around  it,  and  the  distant  ocean,  are  spread  before 
the  eye.  There,  one  afternoon  in  the  summer  of  1776, 
Mrs.  Tucker  and  her  sister,  hearing  a  report  of  cannon, 
and  knowing  the  captain  had  recently  left  the  port  on  a 
cruise,  ascended  this  hill,  and  distinctly  saw  her  husband 
capture  two  brigs,  which  he  sent  into  Lynn  harbor. 
They  were  probably  the  same  vessels  mentioned  in  Gen- 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER.  65 

eral  Ward's  letter  of  May  9.  This  account  was  related 
to  the  author  by  a  venerable  lady,  a  connection  of  the 
family,  who  often  heard  her  mother  tell  the  particulars 
and  speak  of  the  clearness  of  the  atmosphere  at  that  time, 
and  the  distinctness  with  which  they  could  see  the  vessels 
by  the  aid  of  a  common  spy-glass,  as  they  anxiously 
watched  the  captain's  movements*  A  few  hours  soon 
convinced  them  they  had  not  been  deceived  in  the  vision. 
She  mentioned  many  other  interesting  incidents. 

It  appears  that  Captain  Tucker  was  indefatigable  in 
his  cruises  this  year;  for  even  he  is  found  upon  his 
quarter-deck  at  sea  in  the  cold  and  stormy  month  of 
December.  On  the  23d  of  that  month  General  Ward 
wrote  to  the  head  of  the  Board  of  War,  — 

*'  SIR  :  Having  been  informed  the  army  were  in  distress 
for  want  of  clothing,  and  there  being  a  quantity  on  board 
a  prize  lately  brought  into  this  port  by  Captains  Skinner 
and  Tucker,  I  have  forwarded  to  the  army  at  or  near 
New  York  the  several  articles  contained  in  the  enclosed 
invoice." 

In  Clark's  Naval  History,  the  depredations  on  English 
commerce  this  year  (1776)  are  stated  to  have  been  very 
great.  He  refers  to  an  English  work  —  the  Remem- 
brancer— for  his  authority  ;  and,  according  to  this  work, 
which  has  been  carefully  examined,  the  English  ships 
taken  were  three  hundred  and  forty- two,  as  also  stated 
in  the  American  Archives.  The  United  States  navy, 
October,  1776,  as  represented  by  Cooper,  in  the  Naval 
History,  is  as  follows :  —  . 
5 


66 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 


Hancock, 

32,     building   it 

Randolph 

•22                          " 

Raleigh, 

32>            " 

Washington, 

S2, 

Warren, 

32> 

Trumbull, 

28,            " 

Effingham, 

28,            " 

Congress, 

28,            " 

Virginia, 

28,            " 

Providence, 

28, 

Boston, 

24, 

Delaware, 

~  .                  u 

24, 

Montgomery, 

24, 

Alfred, 

24,     in  service. 

Columbus, 

20,                " 

Reprisal, 

16,            « 

Cabot, 

1  6,            " 

Hampden, 

14,            « 

Lexington, 

14,            " 

Andrea  Doria 

?i4'            " 

Providence, 

12,                 " 

Sachem, 

10,                 " 

Independence 

,  10,                " 

Wasp, 

8, 

Mosquito, 

4, 

Fly, 

—  ,            " 

Philadelphia. 
Portsmouth,  N.  H. 
Philadelphia. 
Rhode  Island. 
Connecticut. 
Philadelphia. 
Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y. 
Maryland. 
Rhode  Island. 
Boston. 
Philadelphia. 
Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y. 


Several  of  these  vessels  never  got  to  sea. 
March  15,  1777,  Captain  Tucker  was  appointed  com- 
mander of  the  frigate  Boston,  directly  from  Congress, 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  6j 

under  the  signature  of  "John  Hancock,  President,"  in 
conformity  to  resolutions  passed  by  them,  which  have 
been  already  referred  to  in  the  Introduction.  The 
form  of  the  commission  —  concise  and  yet  comprehen- 
sive —  was  reported  by  the  Court  of  Admiralty,  and 
adopted  by  Congress  April  20,  1780.  The  following  is 
a  copy :  — 

IN  CONGRESS. 

The  Delegates  of  the  United  States  of  New  Hampshire, 
Massachusetts  Bay,  Rhode  Island,  Connecticut,  New 
York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Delaware,  Maryland, 
Virginia,  North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  and  Georgia, 

To  SAMUEL  TUCKER,  Esq. 

We,  reposing  especial  trust  and  confidence  in  your 
patriotism,  valor,  and  conduct,  constitute  and  appoint  you 
to  be  Captain  of  the  armed  ship  called  the  Boston,  in 
the  service  of  the  United  States  of  North  America,  fitted 
out  for  the  defence  of  American  Liberty  and  for  repelling 
every  hostile  invasion  thereof. 

You  are,  therefore,  carefully  and  diligently  to  discharge 
the  duty  of  captain,  by  doing  and  performing  all"  manner 
of  things  thereunto  belonging.  And  we  do  strictly  charge 
and  require  all  officers,  marines,  and  seamen,  under  your 
command,  to  be  obedient  to  your  orders  as  captain,  and 
you  are  to  observe  and  follow  such  orders  and  directions 
from  time  to  time  as  you  shall  receive  from  this  or  a 
future  Congress  of  the  United  States,  or  committee  of 
Congress  for  that  purpose  appointed,  or  commander-in- 


68  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

chief  for  the  time  being  of  the  navy  of  the  United  States, 
or  any  other  your  superior  officer,  according  to  the  rules 
and  discipline  of  war,  the  usage  of  the  sea,  and  the 
instructions  herewith  given  you,  in  pursuance  of  the  trust 
reposed  in  you.  This  commission  to  continue  in  force 
until  revoked  by  this  or  a  future  Congress. 

Dated  at  Philadelphia,  March  15  [or  14],  1777. 

By  order  of  Congress. 

JOHN  HANCOCK,  President. 

Attest.        CHARLES  THOMSON,  Secretary. 
["  A  true  copy  of  my  commission."] 

He  captured  a  number  of  prizes  in  the  Boston  this 
year ;  but,  whether  on  a  temporary  leave  of  absence,  or 
part  of  the  time  transferred  to  some  other  ship,  he  did 
not  command  that  frigate  the  whole  time  ;  for  in  May 
there  was  an  eastern  cruise  of  the  Hancock,  under  Com- 
modore Manly,  and  the  Boston,  under  Captain  Hector 
McNiel ;  and,  coming  up  with  the  British  frigate  Fox, 
twenty-eight  guns,  a  sharp  engagement  took  place,  and 
the  Fox  wras  taken  by  the  Hancock.  But  soon  after  the 
ist  of  June,  they,  with  their  prize,  were  pursued  by  Sir 
George  Collier,  from  Halifax,  in  the  Rainbow,  forty-four, 
and  two  other  ships  of  war.  Commodore  Manly  was 
obliged  to  strike,  and  the  Fox  was  retaken  ;  and  it  was 
reported,  that  in  the  Boston  Captain  McNiel  showed  the 
white  feather,  escaped  without  rendering  any  assistance, 
and  was  afterwards  cashiered  for  abandoning  his  consort. 

There  is  one  account  of  the  capture  of  a  British  armed 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER.  69 

vessel  while  he  commanded  the  Boston,  which, is  here 
given,  as  related  to  the  author  by  a  niece  of  Captain 
Tucker.  The  anecdote  was  told  some  time  ago,  but 
notes  were  taken  at  the  time.  She  remarked  that  she 
recollected  this  more  distinctly  among  many  other  de- 
scriptions which  he  gave  of  his  battles  to  her  because 
she  was  then  on  a  visit  to  his  house,  and  there  were  sev- 
eral of  his  neighbors  sitting  round  a  winter's  fire,  and 
eagerly  listening  and  watching  him,  as  he  enchanted 
them  with  his  stories  of  the  war  and  the  dangers  he 
had  passed. 

Soon  after  getting  out  to  sea,  her  uncle  told  her,  he  saw 
a  distant  sail,  and  steered  directly  for  it.  On  approach- 
ing her,  he  discovered  by  her  tier  of  guns  she  was  an 
English  frigate,  larger  than  the  Boston.  Undismayed,  he 
crowded  sail,  caused  the  drum  to  beat  to  quarters,  and 
made  quick  preparation  for  battle.  As  the  ships  drew 
near,  he  told  Lieutenant  Magee  that  he  should  put  the 
vessel  alongside  the  frigate  and  board  her.  "And  you," 
said  Captain  Tucker,  "  must  head  the  marines."  The 
lieutenant  at  first  hesitated,  as  though  he  would  rather 
decline  the  desperate  office.  "  Then,"  said  the  captain, 
"  take  my  place,  and  I  will  head  the  boarders  ;  for  she  must 
betaken."  u  No,"  replied  the  young  officer,  "I  will  go 
and  do  my  best."  He  then  handed  the  captain  a  ring  and 
a  watch,  with  the  miniature  of  an  only  sister,  to  whom  he 
was  tenderly  attached,  with  a  request  that,  should  he  fall 
in  the  attempt,  these  bequests  might  be  sent  to  her. 

In  a  few  moments,  by  a  sudden  and  rapid  change  of 
the  helm,  —  for  in  nautical  manoeuvring  Captain  Tucker 


^O  LIFE   OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

was  unsurpassed  by  any  officer  in  our  infant  navy,  —  he 
laid  his  ship  alongside  the  frigate,  gun  to  gun,  and  before 
a  shot  was  fired  or  a  piece  of  ordnance  could  be  brought 
to  bear  against  him,  he  threw  his  grappling-irons  upon 
the  gunwale  and  began  the  boarding.  But  the  intrepid 
Magee  fell  in  the  onset :  heading  his  band  of  marines,  he 
leaped  the  bulwark  ;  and  scarcely  had  his  foot  touched  the 
deck  of  the  enemy,  before  this  gallant,  noble-hearted 
young  man  was  assailed  by  numbers,  and  a  sword  pierced 
his  heart.  His  death  was  not  unavenged.  Tucker,  like 
a  lion,  sprang  into  the  midst  of  his  foes,  and  his  stalwart 
arm  cut  down  all  before  him.  The  frigate  soon  struck 
her  colors.  Magee  died  gloriously.  Dulce  ct  decorum 
est  pro  pat  rid  mori —  It  is  a  sweet  and  beautiful  thing  to 
die  tor  our  country. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

VOYAGE  TO  FRANCE  WITH  JOHN  ADAMS,  ENVOY. — 
CAPTURE  OF  THE  MARTHA. 

ON  the  27th  of  December,  1777,  Captain  Tucker 
was  again  appointed  commander  of  the  frigate 
Boston,  twenty-four,  as  will  appear  by  his  commission  ; 
and  February  10,  177^'  ne  received  orders  to  carry 
the  Honorable  John  Adams  as  envoy  to  France.  He 
was  authorized  to  fit  her  out  for  this  purpose  at  his  own 
discretion  ;  consequently  he  supplied  her  with  additional 
spars,  canvas,  and  equipments.  The  canvas,  it  is  said, 
was  of  a  peculiar  and  original  kind,  having  special 
reference  to  swift  sailing,  as  the  object  of  the  mission  to 
France  was  important,  and  so  well  known  to  the  enemy, 
that  a  British  seventy-four  and  two  frigates,  from  New- 
port, had  been  waiting,  and  watching  the  motions  and 
departure  of  the  Boston.  To  escape  a  force  so  vigilant 
and  formidable,  and  to  avoid  the  numerous  men-of-war, 
which  infested  the  track  across  the  Atlantic,  required  an 
officer  of  consummate  skill  and  intrepidity,  and  Congress 
reposed  full  confidence  in  the  ability  of  Tucker.  So 
great  was  the  trust  that  Mr.  Adams  put  in  him,  that  he 


tj2  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

committed  not  only  himself,  but  his  son,  then  about 
eleven  years  old,  the  future  celebrated  John  Quincy 
Adams,  to  his  charge. 

The  character  of  this  embassy,  in  which  a  nation,  in  its 
infancy  struggling  for  existence,  was  so  deeply  interested, 
will  justify  a  publication  of  the  following  Instructions, 
copied  from  the  original  letter. 

To  SAMUEL  TUCKER,  Esq.,  Commander  on  Board  the 
Boston,  at  Boston,  in  Massachusetts  Bay. 


SIR  :  As  soon  as  these  Instructions  get  to  hand,  you 
are  to  get  to  sea  as  soon  as  possible.  When  there,  you 
are  to  proceed  on  a  voyage  to  some  convenient  port  in. 
France,  and  at  your  arrival  there,  apply  to  the  agent,  if 
any,  in  or  near  said  port,  for  such  supplies  as  you  may 
stand  in  need  of.  You  are  at  the  same  time  to  give  im- 
mediate notice  by  letters  to  the  Honorable  Benjamin 
Franklin,  John  Adams,  and  Arthur  Lee,  Esquires,  or 
any  of  them,  at  Paris,  of  your  arrival,  requesting  their 
instructions  as  to  your  future  destination  ;  which  instruc- 
tions you  are  fully  to  obey,  as  it  shall  be  in  your  power. 
If,  however,  in  the  course  of  your  voyage,  a  favorable 
opportunity  should  offer  of  doing  service  to  the  States  by 
taking  or  destroying  any  of  the  enemy's  ships,  you  are 
not  to  omit  taking  advantage  of  it,  but  may  go  out  of  your 
course  to  effect  so  good  a  purpose.  In  this  we  trust  to 
your  zeal  and  discretion.  You  are  to  take  particular 
notice,  that  whilst  on  the  coast  of  France,  or  in  a  French 
port,  you  are,  as  much  as  you  conveniently  can,  to  keep 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER.  73 

your  guns  covered  and  concealed,  and  to  make  as  little 
warlike  appearance  as  possible. 

On  your  arrival  in  France,  send  one  of  your  officers 
with   the  letter  you  are  to  write   to  the  commissioners, 
to  prevent  its  falling  iuto  improper  hands. 
We  are  your  humble  servants, 

WM.  VERNON, 
J.  WARREN. 

NAVY  BOARD,  EASTERN  DEPARTMENT, 
BOSTON,  Feb.  10,  1778. 

NAVY  BOARD,  EASTERN  DEPARTMENT,  > 
BOSTON,  Feb.  ior  1778.  5 

SIR  :  Notwithstanding  the  general  instructions  given 
you,  you  are  now  to  consider  the  Honorable  John  Adams, 
Esq.  (who  takes  passage  in  the  Boston),  as  one  of  the 
commissioners,  with  the  Honorable  Benjamin  Franklin 
and  Arthur  Lee,  Esqs.,  and  therefore  any  applications 
or  orders  received  from  him  as  valid  as  if  received  from 
either  of  the  other  two.  You  are  to  afford  him  on  his 
passage  every  accommodation  in  your  power,  and  to 
consult  him  on  all  occasions  with  respect  to  your  passage 
and  general  conduct,  and  the  port  you  shall  endeavor  to 
get  into,  and  on  all  occasions  have  regard  to  the  impor- 
tance of  his  security  and  safe  arrival. 

We  are  your  humble  servants, 

WM.  VERNON, 
JAS.  WARREN. 
To  SAMUEL  TUCKER,  Esq., 

Commander  of  the  Ship  Boston. 


74 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 


On  the  1 7th  day  of  February,  1778,  at  seven  o'clock 
P.  M.,  Captain  Tucker  weighed  anchor  at  Nantasket 
Roads,  proceeded  to  sea,  with  the  stripes  and  stars  waving 
to  a  fine  north-wester,  and  fired  a  salute  of  seven  guns.  His 
log-book  having  been  preserved,  the  journal  of  his  voyage 
supplied  materials  for  an  accurate  narrative  of  every 
twenty-four  hours  until  his  safe  arrival  at  Bordeaux,  on 
the  3ist  of  March,  after  a  passage  of  forty-eight  days.  In 
the  beginning  of  his  journal  are  these  words  in  his  own 
handwriting :  "  Pray  God  conduct  me  safe  to  France, 
and  send  me  a  prosperous  cruise."  Is  not  this  a  sweet 
memorial  of  the  care  and  influence  of  a  pious  mother, 
who  more  than  thirty  years  before  that  time  had  offered 
him  to  the  protection  and  guardianship  of  the  Almighty 
in  infant  baptism  at  the  altar? 

On  the  1 9th  of  February,  at  six  P.M.,  he  saw  in  the 
east  three  large  ships  belonging  to  the  enemy,  and  hauled 
his  wind  to  the  southward,  though  he  was  not  then 
pursued.  On  consultation  with  his  officers,  he  wore 
ship,  ran  for  an  hour  to  the  northward,  and  then  dis- 
covered two  of  them  under  his  lee,  and  with  short  sail. 
One  of  them  was  a  ship  of  twenty  guns,  the  other  a  vessel 
as  large  as  his  own,  and  the  third  was  soon  out  of  sight. 
But  the  man  at  the  mast  head  immediately  called  out 
there  was  a  ship  on  the  weather  quarter.  Consulting 
with  Mr.  Adams  and  his  officers,  and  not  knowing  how 
fast  his  own  vessel  would  sail,  the  captain  concluded  to 
stand  to  the  southward,  and  at  ten  A.  M.  he  wore  ship. 
The  two  sails  under  his  lee  then  changed  their  course, 
and  pursued  him.  At  twelve  at  noon  he  lost  sight  of 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  75 

the  small  ship,  while  the  other  was  about  three  leagues 
off,  under  his  lee  quarter.  On  the  2Oth  the  chase 
was  kept  up.  Being  poorly  manned  and  actuated  by 
prudential  motives,  Captain  Tucker  did  not  venture  to 
attack  her.  At  two  P.  M.  he  set  fore  and  maintop- 
mast  steering  sail,  and  soon  found  he  was  leaving  her, 
and  at  six  lost  sight  of  her  in  the  darkness  of  the  night. 

For  seven  or  eight  hours  the  Boston  was  running  four 
points  southerly,  at  the  rate  of  seven  knots  an  hour ;  and 
the  other  ship,  it  was  supposed,  pursued  the  same  course, 
lie  conjectured  that  she  was  about  eleven  or  twelve 
leagues  off.  The  wind  then  heading  them,  he  fell  off 
and  run  at  the  rate  of  six  knots  for  three  hours,  until  he 
saw  the  same  ship  directly  ahead,  standing  southward 
and  westward  about  five  leagues  distant.  He  hove  in 
stays  and  stood  to  the  westward,  as  in  his  former  track 
he  could  not  weather  her.  After  running  three  hours, 
he  hove  in  stays  again,  and  passed  the  frigate  to  the 
windward,  about  four  miles  off,  under  her  lee  quarter, 
and  was  then  convinced  she  was  the  same  vessel  he  had 
seen  before.  He  then  tacked  ship,  as  she  continued  to 
chase  him  ;  but  he  found  the  Boston  was  gaining  and 
distancing  the  enemy  in  pursuit. 

On  the  2ist,  the  weather  was  cloudy,  and  a  smart 
breeze  sprang  up,  the  frigate  still  being  in  chase  of  them. 
At  ten  P.  M.  a  violent  storm  came  on.  Captain  Tucker 
ordered  the  sails  to  be  taken  in,  cleared  the  ship,  and 
prepared  for  an  attack.  At  twelve,  midnight,  the  tempest 
became  furious ;  the  mainmast  and  topmast  were  struck 
with  a  flash  of  lightning,  which  wounded  three  men 


76  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

and  knocked  down  several  others.  He  remarked  in  his 
journal,  "  We  were  in  great  danger,  the  sea  very  cross 
and  hi°"h."  A  heavy  rain  came  on,  and  from  the  violence 
of  the  wind  they  were  obliged  to  scud  before  it ;  and  they 
soon  saw  no  more  of  the  enemy.  They  were  then  in 
38°  33'  north  latitude,  and  in  longitude  60°  30'  west. 

The  scene  at  this  time  on  board  the  ship  must  have 
been  terrific  beyond  imagination.  In  the  noon  of  night, 
—  in  the  "  dead  of  darkness,"  to  borrow  the  awful 
imagery  of  Prospero  in  the  Tempest,  —  the  rushing  of 
the  billows,  the  rage  and  foaming  of  the  Atlantic,  the 
rattling  of  the  rigging,  and  creaking  of  timbers  and  spars, 
the  dreadful  roar  of  the  angry  winds,  the  glaring  sheets 
of  fire  at  times  flashing  over  sky  and  sea,  the  sight  of 
three  wounded  men,  and  the  fall  of  others  by  a  single 
stroke  of  lightning,  the  tall  mast  trembling  beneath  the 
blast,  and  in  addition  to  all  this  the  dismal  echo  from  the 
pump  of  water  in  the  hold,  were  enough  to  appall  the 
oldest  veteran  that  ever  faced  the  cannon's  mouth  in 
the  day  of  battle.  Well  might  the  captain,  in  his  distress, 
alarmed  for  his  distinguished  charge  and  for  his  crew, 
and  touched  with  such  a  mass  of  sea-sorrows,  —  behind 
him  a  heavy  frigate  ready  to  pounce  upon  him,  before 
him  and  around  him,  a  terrible  storm  of  rain,  thunder, 
and  lightning,  and  the  oceanquake  threatening  every 
moment  to  swallow  up  his  ship,  —  well  might  he  pour 
forth  that  short  and  simple  prayer  from  the  heart,  which 
stands  recorded  in  his  journal  of  that  day :  "  Pray  God 
protect  us  and  carry  us  through  our  various  troubles." 
Gladly  must  every  serious  mind  contemplate  such  a 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  77 

precious  fragment  of  faith,  left  us  by  one  of  the  noblest 
commanders  in  the  navy  of  the  Revolution.  What  must 
have  been  the  sufferings  of  that  man,  at  that  dark  hour, 
when  he  thought  of  home,  of  his  family,  of  his  bleeding 
country  in  a  death  struggle  with  the  mightiest  nation 
on  the  globe,  and  then  beheld  the  grand  object  of  his 
»  voyage  to  France  in  the  most  imminent  peril !  For  it 
seemed  as  though  the  artillery  of  heaven  \vas  pointed 
against  the  mission.  But  it  was  not  so.  In  the  sailor's 
pretty  fancy,  there  was  a  little  cherub  above  that  watched 
over  them. 

When,  in  our  ideal  conception,  we  summon  up  this 
awful  storm  at  midnight,  and  look  at  a  scene  so  terrific, 
through  a  vista  of  more  than  ninety  years,  as  we  sit  in 
this  happy  land  by  our  cheerful  fireside,  there  arises  a 
moral  grandeur  in  the  contemplation.  Tucker  stands 
before  us  in  a  sublime  position.  We  see  the  dark  outline 
of  his  stalwart  form  at  the  helm  on  the  deck  of  his 
frigate,  which  at  times  was  illuminated  by  the  blaze  of 
lightning,  erect  and  commanding,  and  hear  him  issuing  his 
-  orders  with  a  voice  of  thunder  rising  above  the  tempest. 
He  alone  is  calm  and  self-possessed  —  like  ./Eneas  of 
old, 

"  Curisque  ingentibus  aeger," 

concealing  his  deep  anxieties,  peering  into  the  black 
clouds  after  some  ray  of  light,  and  cheering  his  brave 
companions  with  the  hope  of  safety ;  while  near  him 
stands  the  sturdy  patriot  of  Braintree,  ready  to  cry  aloud, 
"  This  is  the  HAND  OF  GOD,  stretched  out  to  shield  us 


*g  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

from  the  pursuit  of  the  enemy."  And  there,  too,  was 
the  young  lad  of  so  much  promise,  gazing  with  wonder 
more  than  fear  at  the  war  of  the  elements,  for  his  father 
was  with  him. 

February  22.  The  storm  still  raged  with  heavy  gales 
and  a  dangerous  sea.  Something  was  continually  giving 
way,  and  the  ship  leaked  so  badly  it  was  necessary  to  • 
keep  the  pumps,  constantly  going.  The  foresail  was 
split,  and  on  examination  below  deck  it  was  found  that 
the  mainmast  had  sprung,  which  had  been  already  sus- 
pected by  the  captain,  who  was  apprehensive  of  being 
dismasted.  At  two  P.  M.  he  kept  away  and  ran  before 
the  wind  under  the  foresail,  having  experienced  the 
shock  of  a  very  heavy  sea. 

February  23.  The  hard  gales  continued,  while  they 
were  running  tinder  foresail,  which  at  two  P.  M.  they 
hauled  up  and  handed,  and  lay  by  under  the  mizzen. 
At  three  P.  M.  they  sent  down  the  top-gallant  yards ; 
and  at  four  P.  M.  carried  away  the  slings  and  chain  of  the 
mizzen-yard,  furled  the  mizzen,  and  set  the  mizzen  stay- 
sail. At  four  A.  M.  the  storm  began  to  moderate,  and 
they  made  sail  and  commenced  repairing  the  rigging, 
which  had  been  much  shattered  by  the  tempest.  At  six 
they  saw  a  sail  to  the  north-east,  running  southward  and 
westward.  The  captain  then  stood  south-east  about 
half  an  hour,  when  she  crossed  him  about  a  league  to 
the  windward ;  and  supposing  her  to  be  a  French  mer- 
chantman bound  to  America,  he  wore  ship  and  crowded 
sail  in  pursuit  of  her.  He  came  up  with  her  very  fast ; 
but  she  made  all  the  sail  possible,  and  at  eleven  A.  M. 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  79 

there  came  on  rain,  and  she  was  lost  sight  of  for  two 
or  three  hours. 

February  24.  The  weather  was  close,  with  rain, 
lie  again  got  sight  of  the  chase,  came  up  with  her  fast, 
and  within  a  mile  and  a  half  she  hoisted  American 
colors;  and  at  the  same  time  he  took  a  squall  from  the 
west,  which  carried  away  the  main-topmast  overboard. 
u  Thanks  to  God,"  he  writes,  "  no  man  was  lost  or 
wounded." 

The  unknown  sail  now  hoisted  Normandy  colors,  and 
fired  a  gun  to  leeward,  which  Captain  Tucker  answered 
in  return.  The  squall,  however,  compelled  him  to  run 
before  the  wind.  The  other  vessel,  seeing  his  distress, 
bore  up  after  him,  running  north-east  half  an  hour;  but 
not  being  able  to  come  up.  she  kept  her  wind  and  stood 
to  the  northward.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  day  the  gale 
became  more  moderate,  with  rain,  and  Captain  Tucker 
made  out  to  save  his  sails  and  1'igging.  He  was  then 
in  latitude  37°  10'  north. 

From  February  25  to  March  ir,  the  weather  was 
variable,  but  not  violent,  full  of  fresh  breezes,  then 
changing  to  light  airs  and  pleasant  skies,  and  again  to 
clouds  and  sometimes  disagreeable  squalls.  In  the  mean 
time  they  repaired  the  sails  and  rigging,  got  up  a  new 
main-topmast,  and  fished  the  mainmast,  which  was 
sprung,  as  before  stated.  During  this  period  the  marines 
were  twice  exercised  with  the  guns  and  small  arms,  and 
the  men  kept  constantly  employed.  After  having  been 
out  twenty-two  days,  and  thus  far,  by  skilful  manoeu- 
vring, having  escaped  the  prowling  enemy  and  weath- 


3o  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

ered  a  terrible  storm  without  serious  loss  or  injury,  they 
reached  latitude  44°  and  longitude  16°  west. 

March  ir,  they  were  sailing  with  fresh  breezes  and 
flying  clouds ;  when,  at  one  P.  M.  Captain  Tucker  saw 
a  distant  ship  to  the  south-east,  standing  west.  In  a 
short  time  he  discovered  that  she  was  an  armed  vessel. 
He  consulted  with  Mr.  Adams  and  his  officers  with  regard 
to  attacking  her ;  and  as  their  opinion  favored  his  own 
wishes,  he  shook  out  a  reef  in  his  topsails  and  gave  chase. 

"  What  should  you  do,"  said  Mr.  Adams,  one  day 
when  the  three  ships  were  pursuing  him,  "  if  you  could 
not  escape,  and  they  should  attack  you?"  He  replied, 
"As  the  first  is  far  in  advance  of  the  others,  I  would 
carry  her  by  boarding,  and  would  myself  head  the 
boarders.  I  should  take  her;  for  no  doubt  a  majority 
of  her  crew,  being  pressed  men,  would  turn  to  and 
join  me.  Having  taken  her,  I  should  be  matched,  and 
could  fight  the  other  two." 

Such  were  the  confidence  and  daring  of  this  naval 
officer,  who  was  no  vain  talker,  but  a  doer  in  his  pro- 
fession. The  trial,  however,  he  escaped,  and  was 
rescued,  probably  by  the  storm,  from  this  threefold 
danger  and  conflict  at  such  fearful  odds.  At  three 
o'clock  he  came  up  with  the  war  ship,  and  his  journal 
gives  a  modest,  though  very  meagre,  description  of  the 
rencounter  and  battle ;  for  he  only  says,  "  I  fired  a  gun, 
and  they  returned  three,  and  down  went  the  colors." 

A  gentleman,  however,  related  to  me  the  facts,  as  he 
heard  them  directly  from  Mr.  Adams  himself,  a  few 
months  before  the  decease  of  that  illustrious  man.  The 


LIFE   OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER.  8 1 

• 

venerable  patriot  was  at  the  time  in  his  mansion  at 
Quincy,  sitting  by  the  fireside  with  his  study-cap  on 
his  head  ;  and  some  remark,  appertaining  to  the  bravery 
of  Commodore  Tucker,  coming  up  in  the  conversation, 
drew  out  from  him  several  anecdotes  of  this  naval  hero. 
He  then  described  the  voyage  to  France,  the  escape  of 
the  Boston  from  three  English  frigates  in  pursuit,  the 
terrific  storm,  and  the  particulars  of  this  capture.  As 
soon  as  they  perceived  she  was  an  armed  vessel,  Captain 
Tucker,  after  consultation,  prepared  for  action,  and  boldly 
sailed  up  to  her.  The  drum  beat  to  arms,  and  in  the 
mean  time  Mr.  Adams  seized  a  musket  and  joined  the 
marines,  standing  by  a  gun  ready  for  battle.  The  cap- 
tain stepped  up  to  him,  put  his  hand  on  his  shoulder, 
and  with  a  voice  of  authority,  said,  "  Mr.  Adams,  I 
am  commanded  by  the  Continental  Congress  to  deliver 
you  safe  in  France,  and  you  must  go  down  below,  sir." 
Mr.  Adams  smiled  and  went  down  to  the  cabin.  Tucker 
by  this  time  had  contrived  to  get  his  frigate  in  the  posi- 
tion he  wished.  His  guns  were  shotted,  the  marines 
at  their  post,  the  match-stocks  smoking;  and  yet  he 
hesitated  to  give  the  order  to  fire.  At  this  delay  his 
men  grew  impatient,  and  seeing  so  fine  a  chance  to 
strike  a  fatal  blow,  they  began  to  murmur  and  swear 
bitterly ;  when  he  cried  out  aloud  in  these  memorable 
words :  "  Hold  on,  my  men.  I  ivish  to  save  that  egg 
'without  breaking  the  shell"  Nor  were  they  compelled 
to  hold  on  long ;  for  the  enemy  saw  at  once  the  ad- 
vantageous position  which  Tucker  had  obtained,  making 
his  own  chance  desperate,  and  he  struck  his  colors. 
6 


82  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

Such  is  the  account  given  by  Mr.  Adams  of  the  cap- 
ture of  the  Martha.  In  some  particulars  it  may  differ 
from  some  others.  The  narrator  of  this  conversation 
with  him. did  not  say  whether  the  Martha  fired  a  gun 
or  not.  There  is  another  statement,  however,  which 
avers  that  the  enemy  fired  a  broadside  as  the  Boston 
approached,  and  shivered  off  a  piece  of  the  mizzen-yard, 
which,  in  falling,  struck  Captain  Tucker  on  the  head,  and 
knocked  him  down  ;  but  he  quickly  recovered  from  the 
stunning  blow,  and  resumed  his  command. 

There  is  among  his  papers  a  copy,  or  minutes,  of  a 
letter  which  he  wrote  to  the  Eastern  Department  of  the 
Navy,  the  next  day  after  this  capture  ;  it  is  too  imperfect 
to  be  fully  transcribed.  It  was  dated  March  u,  1778, 
wherein  he  says  that  the  enemy,  on  discovering  that  he 
hoisted  his  colors,  "  bore  away,  firing  a  broadside,  which 
carried  away  my  mizzen-yard,  and  did  no  other  damage." 
And  in  another  passage  he  says,  the  enemy  "  did  not 
think  himself  able  to  get  his  colors  down  soon  enough," 
for  "  he  was  horribly  scared." 

The  prize-ship  Martha,  Captain  M'Intosh,  was  bound 
from  London  to  New  York,  with  a  very  valuable  cargo. 
After  Captain  Tucker  had  sent  Mr.  Barron  and  Mr. 
Reed,  two  of  his  officers,  in  a  boat  to  take  possession, 
and  the  prisoners  were  transferred  to  his  frigate,  he  gave 
Mr.  Welch  the  command,  as  prize-master,  with  a  detach- 
ment of  men  ;  and  a  salute  of  seven  guns  having  been 
fired,  she  sailed  for  Boston.  The  following  is  a  copy 
of  the  orders  to  the  prize-master :  — 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER.  83 


Ox  BOARD  THE  BOSTON  FRIGATE,  7 
March  n,  1778.      5 

To  HEZEKIAH  WELCH,  Gentleman. 

You  are  now  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  ship 
Martha.  I  desire  you  would  make  the  best  of  your  way 
to  Boston,  running  up  your  longitude  in  37°  oo'  north,  as 
far  as  68°  oo'  west.  Be  careful  to  avoid  all  vessels  you 
may  see,  keeping  a  man  at  the  mast  head  from  daybreak 
until  dark,  and  if  you  should  be  so  unfortunate  as  to  be 
taken,  destroy  my  letters  with  your  signals.  If  you  go 
safe,  lodge  my  signals  at  the  Navy  Board,  not  showing 
them  to  your  dearest  friend.  Be  very  certain  of  your 
lights,  to  show  none  in  any  respect.  When  you  arrive, 
acquaint  the  Honorable  Board  of  every  instance  that 
has  happened  in  my  passage  ;  and  I  desire  you  would 
be  as  attentive  to  the  ship  in  port  as  at  sea.  Keep  regular 
orders,  as  you  would  at  sea,  and  the  men  under  the 
same  subjection.  Other  orders  are  to  yourself  discre- 
tionary in  defending  the  ship. 

Your  well-wisher, 

SAMUEL  TUCKER. 

It  is  said  the  Martha,  on  this  voyage,  was  retaken  by 
the  enemy,  and  again  recaptured  by  one  of  the  Con- 
tinental cruisers,  and  that  she  finally  arrived  in  Boston. 
Of  this  second  recapture  I  can  find  no  satisfactory 
evidence. 

The  reader  shall  be  spared  in  following  day  by  day 
the  monotonous  detail  of  a  log-book.  Such  fragments 


84 

only  shall  be  extracted  from  his  journal  and  interwoven 
in  this  story  of  his  life  as  may  be  interesting  or  necessary 
touching  his  voyage.  Those  who  are  curious  in  such 
matters  will  find  a  transcript  of  the  log-book,  with  the 
courses  and  reckonings,  in  the  Appendix. 

After  sending  off  his  prize,  he  kept  on  his  course  to 
France,  under  a  variety  of  weather  and  violent  gales. 
There  were  but  eleven  pleasant  days ;  the  remainder  of 
the  voyage  was  very  boisterous.  .On  the  i3th  of  March, 
he  saw  a  suspicious  looking  ship  at  a  distance,  and  got 
ready  his  guns  for  an  engagement;  spoke  a  Frenchman 
from  St.  Domingo,  bound  to  Nantes.  At  eight  P.  M. 
discovered  two  sail  to  the  windward  standing  west-south- 
west, and  at  eight  A.  M.  saw  two  more  on  weather  bow, 
standing  northward  and  eastward.  He  supposed  them 
to  be  cruising  vessels.  The  one  ahead  had  the  poop- 
lantern  out. 

March  14.  By  the  bursting  of  the  second  gun,  Mr.  Bar- 
ron  had  his  right  leg  broken,  and  two  marines  were 
wounded.  The  doctor  and  his  mate  found  it  necessary 
to  amputate  it,  "  which,"  says  Tucker,  "  was  done  in  a 
masterly  manner."  The  doctor  was  the  late  Benjamin 
Brown,  M.  D.,  a  skilful  and  accomplished  physician,  who, 
years  after  this  event,  settled  in  Waldoborough,  Maine, 
was  a  member  of  the  legislature  of  Massachusetts  in 
1809,  1811,  and  1812,  and  in  1815  a  member  of  Con- 
gress ;  he  died  in  good  old  age,  much  beloved  as  a 
gentleman  and  a  good  man. 

March  17.  There  appeared  on  his  larboard  quarter,  at 
half  past  two  P.  M.,  two  ships,  laboring  in  a  heavy  gale 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  85 

and  large  sea;  and  at  eight  A.M.,  on  the  2oth,  another 
vessel,  which  he  made  sail  for,  and  came  up  with  her 
at  eleven.  She  proved  to  be  a  Dutch  snow,  bound  to 
Demerara. 

March  24.  High  land  was  visible  at  four  P.  M.,  about 
eight  leagues  off",  bearing  south-west  to  south-east,  and 
at  eleven  St.  Antony's  Head  —  probably  the  insulated 
rock  at  the  mouth  of  the  harbor  of  Corunna — bore 
south-south-west,  about  five  miles.  The  next  day  a  pilot 
came  off. 

.  March  26.  William  Barren,  his  first  lieutenant,  whose 
leg  had  been  amputated,  died  after  extreme  suffering.  His 
remains  were  brought  on  deck  ;  prayers  were  read  ;  and 
"  with  all  the  ceremony,"  the  captain  remarks,  "  that 
possibly  could  be,"  all  hands  standing  around  on  the 
quarter-deck,  the  body,  with  a  heavy  ball,  was  launched 
into  the  deep,  there  to  rest  on  the  bottom,  in  the  ocean 
churchyard.  There  is  something  peculiarly  solemn  in 
a  burial  at  sea  —  the  great  cemetery  of  the  poor  sailor, 
where  no  headstone,  nor  mark,  nor  monument  tells  the 
spot,  nor  records  the  name ;  age  after  age  the  wave 
passing  over  it,  and  the  place  where  he  lies  forgotten  for- 
ever !  The  heartfelt  sorrow  of  the  whole  crew,  and  the 
eulogy  of  Captain  Tucker,  that  "  he  was  a  worthy  and 
respectful  officer,"  are  the  best  memorials  of  the  humble 
virtue  of  William  Barron. 

They  were  now  nearing  their  port.  On  the  25th,  in 
sounding  they  found  the  depth  fifty  fathoms,  with  red 
sand  and  shells :  after  running  thirty  leagues  more,  they 
came  to  thirty-five  fathoms,  and  coarse  and  black  sand. 


86  LIFE  OF  SAMUEL  TUCKER. 

March  29.  They  spoke  several  Dutchmen  ;  at  six  A.  M. 
they  saw  land,  north-north-west,  four  leagues  off,  and" 
fifteen  to  the  westward  of  Bordeaux  ;  and  next  day  a 
pilot  came  on  board.  The  lofty  lighthouse  of  Cordouan 
was  visible,  east  by  north,  three  leagues  off. 

March  31.  They  entered  the  River  Garonne,  on  the  west 
bank  of  which,  fifty-five  miles  from  the  mouth  and  three 
hundred  and  seven  south-west  from  Paris,  lies  Bordeaux, 
their  port  of  destination.  They  came  to  anchor,  and, 
April  i,  went  up  within  three  miles  of  the  city,  saluting 
the  little  town  of  Larmoon,  on  the  way,  with  thirteen 
guns,  and  the  castle  of  Bordeaux  with  twenty-one, 
which  returned  the  salute.  Bordeaux  —  the  ancient 
Burdigala,  once  a  gorgeous  and  immense  amphitheatre 
—  is  located  on  a  semicircular  bend  of  the  river,  and 
with  its  docks,  quays,  famous  bridge  of  seventeen  arches, 
splendid  houses,  lofty  cathedral,  and  fine  churches,  situated 
on  a  crescent  of  the  river,  where  it  is  a  mile  in  width, 
must  have  been  a  magnificent  sight  to  those  voyagers 
long  wearied  and  storm-driven  on  the  ocean  —  more 
especially  when  they  found  themselves  in  this  beautiful 
haven  safe  from  an  enemy  so  vigilant  and  terrible.  On 
the  4th  day  of  April,  Mr.  Adams  took  leave  of  the  ship, 
and  with  his  son  and  some  passengers  entered  the 
pinnace  and  went  up  to  town. 

During  the  first  four  days  in  which  the  frigate  lay 
moored  in  the  stream,  multitudes  came  down  to  see 
the  ship.  From  morning  to  evening,  parties  of  ladies 
and  gentlemen  were  going  on  board.  Crowds  flocked 
round  the  vessel ;  boats  filled  with  visitors  were  succes- 
\ 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  87 

sively  alongside.  The  gentlemen  looked  pleased  —  the 
ladies  spoke  with  admiration.  No  doubt  the  open, 
courteous  manner  —  though  a  little  roughened  by  the 
hardships  of  the  sea — and  the  gallant  figure  and  hand- 
some features  of  the  American  captain  increased  the 
charm  and  novelty  of  their  visit.  He,  however,  won- 
dered at  the  curiosity  of  a  people  so  enlightened,  and 
remarked  in  his  journal,  "  One  would  think  these 
strangers  never  saw  a  ship  before."  Perhaps  he  did 
not  reflect  that  a  noble  frigate,  recently  sprung  from 
the  woods  of  a  new  continent,  where  a  republic  was 
just  emerging  like  another  star  from  the  depths  of  the 
horizon,  was  an  object  of  admiration  to  people  of  the 
old  world  amid  the  shadows  of  antiquity. 

Captain  Tucker  remained  at  Bordeaux  nearly  two 
months,  waiting  the  orders  of  the  commissioners  at  Paris; 
The  ship  was  his  home  —  his  castle  ;  and  there  he  was  to 
be  found  at  his  post  of  duty.  The  seamen  loved  and 
honored  a  master  who  lived  like  them  and  with  them. 
His  fidelity  to  his  country  was  a  noble  trait  in  the  char- 
acter of  a  deserving  officer,  too  little  known  and  remem- 
bered in  the  days  of  our  national  prosperity. 

He  devoted  his  time  to  repairs  of  his  frigate,  shattered 
in  her  spars,  and  sails,  and  rigging  by  a  tempestuous 
voyage  across  the  Atlantic.  He  shipped  a  new  main- 
mast, put  her  in  sailing  condition,  and  procured  a  re- 
enforcement  of  his  crew,  weakened  by  the  detachment 
sent  home  in  his  prize,  the  Martha.  For  on  March  n, 
1778,  he  wrote  to  the  Navy  Board,  that  he  was  "but 
poorly  manned,  to  my  sorrow,  not  even  enough  to  attack 


83  LIFE  OF  SAMUEL  TUCKER. 

a  twenty  gun  ship."  The  truth  is,  that  the  frigate  Boston 
was  not  half  supplied  with  a  marine  corps  for  a  voyage  to 
Europe,  exposed  to  the  heavy-armed  war  ships  of  Eng- 
land. But  the  N^vy  Board  was  not  in  fault.  Our 
country  was  then  poor,  its  resources  small,  and  the 
wonder  is,  that  they  accomplished  so  much  with  means 
so  small  and  impoverished.  The  Navy  Board,  energetic 
and  indefatigable,  did  all  they  could  do  ;  while  this  brave 
officer  silently  and  poignantly  lamented  his  fate. 

On  the  iyth  of  May  he  weighed  anchor,  saluted  the 
castle  of  Bordeaux,  which  cordially  responded,  and  pro- 
ceeded down  the  Garonne,  at  the  mouth  of  which  he 
was  delayed  till  June  6.  On  that  day,  in  company 
with  a  fleet  consisting  of  twenty  ships,  brigs,  and  smaller 
vessels,  and  also  a  French  frigate  and  sloop  of  war,  he 
put  to  sea.  Captain  Paul  Jones  —  afterwards  so  cele- 
brated—  was  there  in  a  brig  of  ten  guns,  and  joined  the 
fleet.  With  a  favorable  breeze  they  passed  the  light- 
house, and  were  all  winging  their  way  to  the  great  deep. 


CHAPTER    V. 

RETURN  OF  THE  BOSTON,  WITH  COMMODORE  WHIPPLE 
AND  OTHERS. 

A  FIRST-RATE  man-of-war  is  said  to  be  a  world  in 
miniature.  She  is  a  grand  spectacle  on  the  stocks, 
just  ready  to  launch  into  the  deep  ;  she  is  a  magnificent 
object  at  her  moorings,  with  her  lofty  spars  in  the  sky, 
and  her  broadsides  frowning  over  the  water  like  a  cloud 
of  hidden  thunder  ;  but  it  is  when  she  spreads  her  sails 
and  braves  the  boundless  ocean,  with  the  flag  of  her 
native  land  unfurled,  that  she  appears  sublime  in  her 
element. 

"  How  gloriously  her  gallant  course  she  goes ! 
Her  white  wings  flying  —  never  from  her  foes  : 
She  walks  the  waters  like  a  thing  of  life." 

The  Corsair. 

Nor  is  the  accomplished  commander  who  guides  her 
destiny  less  an  object  of  admiration.  Skilled  in  his  pro- 
fession, he  is  a  master  of  nautical  science.  Familiar  with 
engineering  her  dread  artillery,  he  knows  no  fear,  and 
only  feels  anxious,  in  the  day  of  conflict,  to  serve  his 
country  and  acquit  himself  with  honor.  At  sea  he  is  the 
sovereign  of  his  own  ship.  He  walks  the  quarter-deck 


9° 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 


in  majesty.  He  superintends  every  movement  of  her 
complicated  machinery;  he  regulates  his  course  by  the 
luminaries  of  heaven,'  and  keeps  his  reckoning  with  geo- 
metrical accuracy.  In  his  government  over  those  com- 
mitted to  his  care,  he  is  a  strict  disciplinarian,  ready  to 
reward  merit,  merciful  to  the  erring  and  ignorant,  yet 
firm,  but  neither  rash  nor  cruel  to  the  transgressor.  His 
coup  cFceil  embraces  every  cloud,  and  sail,  and  speck  in 
the  great  circle  of  sky  -and  water.  His  eye,  accustomed 
to  gazing  at  distant  objects,  becomes  sharpened  in  vision, 
and  the  expression  of  his  countenance  has  the  appearance 
of  looking  afar  oft*  at  sights  not  seen  by  men  shut  up  in 
the  narrow  horizon  of  a  city  or  a  cell. 

Such  were  some  of  the  gallant  captains  of  the  Revo- 
lution —  such  as  Manly,  and  Whipple,  and  Jones,  and 
Tucker ;  such  were  Preble,  and  Bainbridge,  and  Decatur, 
and  others  that  might  be  named,  as  our  early  navy  from 
small  beginnings  rose  into  character  and  strength  at  the 
close  of  the  last  and  beginning  of  this  century. 

The  month  of  June  is  delightful  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay, 
and  each  day  had  now  a  white  mark  in  the  calendar. 
Captain  Tucker  in  his  voyage  to  Brest  passed  many 
beautiful  islands.  As  he  sailed  by  the  Isle  de  Dieu,  he 
sent  his  pinnace  to  the  brig  of  Captain  Paul  Jones  with 
an  invitation  to  dine  with  him.  Between  that  island  and 
the  handsome  town  of  L'Orient  he  saw  a  French  frigate 
and  snow  at  anchor ;  and,  while  sending  his  boat  ashore 
for  water,  he  discovered  several  sails  in  the  distance,  some 
of  which  he  soon  pursued. 

On  the  1 9th  he  captured  a  Scotch  brig,  —  the  John  and 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER.  91 

Rebecca,  Captain  Fenly,  —  and  sent  her  with  her  cargo 
under  a  prize-master  to  Boston.  For  two  days  he  crowded 
sail  after  a  vessel,  which,  on  nearing,  he  found  to  be  the 
cruiser  of  his  friend  Jones,  who  returned  the  compliment 
by  dining  with  him.  The  23d  of  June  he  captured  the 
brig  Britannia,  Captain  William  Baker,  and  the  Eliza- 
beth, Captain  Anquetil,  and  sent  them  to  L'Orient.  The 
same  day  he  pursued,  and  came  up  with,  a  Baltimore 
vessel,  Captain  Murray,  who  supplied  him  with  American 
papers. 

June  25.  There  was  an  eclipse  of  the  sun  at  seven  P.  M. 
This  fact  is  merely  mentioned  in  his  journal ;  but  it  must 
have  been  a  solemn  and  magnificent  sight  at  sea,  to  stand 
on  the  deck  of  a  ship,  isolated  in  a  waste  of  waters,  and  to 
look  up  to  the  vast  concave  above,  while  the  great  lumi- 
nary was  shorn  of  his  beams.  It  was  a  scene  of  surpass- 
ing grandeur,  not  very  often  occurring  amidst  the  lights 
and  shadows  of  a  sea  voyage.  This  eclipse  was  announced 
in  the  Boston  Almanac  of  that  year  for  the  24th  of  June, 
which,  allowing  for  local  distance  and  nautical  calcula- 
tion, agreed  with  the  above. 

He  received  a  letter  from  the  Hon.  John  Adams,  who 
was  residing  in  the  vicinity  of  Paris,  as  follows :  — 

PASSI.  April  29,  1778. 

DEAR  SIR  :  I  this  moment  had  the  pleasure  of  your 
letter  of  the  22d  instant,  and  am  much  obliged  to  you  for 
your  kind  congratulations  on  my  safe  arrival  and  agree- 
able reception  here. 

The  commissioners  have  recommended  a  lieutenant  to 


^2  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

you,  —  Mr.  Livingston,  — a  gentleman  of  good  character, 
as  the  commissioners  believe.  But,  although  the  honor- 
able commissioners  have  recommended  him  as  first  lieu- 
tenant, I  hope  he  will  decline  this,  and  be  content  to  be 
made  second  lieutenant,  as  I  have  a  great  opinion  of  and 
esteem  for  Mr.  Reed  ;  I  could  wish  him  to  be  the  first. 
However,  this  must  be  left  to  you.  Mr.  Livingston  is  said 
to  be  a  man  of  a  handsome  fortune  and  good  connections. 

You  will  see  by  your  orders,  which  Captain  Palmes 
will  deliver  you,  that  your  future  cruise  and  voyage  will 
be  left  to  yourself.  May  God  preserve  and  prosper  you 
and  the  ship  and  her  company. 

I  shall  ever  retain  a  pleasing  remembrance  of  the  civili- 
ties received  from  you,  and  the  agreeable  hours  we  spent 
together  on  board  the  Boston,  notwithstanding  all  our 
bad  weather  and  disagreeable  chops. 

I  have  written  to  Mr.  Bendfield  to  put  a  few  things  on 
board  your  ship  for  my  family.  If  you  will  take  charge 
of  them,  I  shall  be  much  obliged  to  you.  I  had  rather 
they  should  take  their  chance  with  you,  how  long  soever 
you  may  cruise,  than  by  any  other  vessel ;  because  I  have 
great  confidence  in  your  vigilance,  prudence,  and  activity, 
of  which  I  have  written  both  to  Congress  and  the  Navy 
Board. 

I  am,  with  much  affection  and  esteem, 

Your  friend  and  servant, 

JOHN  ADAMS. 
CAPTAIN  TUCKER. 

A  copy  of  his  letter  of  "  Instructions  "  is  also  inserted, 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER.  93 

as  it -is  a  valuable  state  paper,  and  because  it  is  compli- 
mentary to  the  skill  and  bravery  of  Captain  Tucker,  and 
testifies  the  confidence  which  those  distinguished  men, 
who  then  represented  the  United  States  at  the  French 
court,  reposed  in  him.  They  left  the  plan  of  his  cruise 
and  the  ports  he  should  visit  entirely  to  his  own  dis- 
cretion. 

PASSI,  NEAR  PARIS,  April  13,  1778. 

SIR  :  We  duly  received  your  letter,  dated  at  Bordeaux, 
the  ist  instant,  and  congratulate  you  on  your  safe  arrival, 
as  well  as  on  your  good  fortune  in  taking  the  ship  Martha, 
which  we  wish  safe  to  port. 

We  approve  of  your  zeal  and  industry  in  taking  upon 
you  to  get  the  frigate  as  far  in  readiness  as  possible  for 
the  sea,  during  the  absence  of  Captain  Palmes. 

As  the  number  of  your  men  has  been  reduced  to  so 
small  a  complement,  we  recommend  to  you  to  engage  as 
many  at  Bordeaux  by  honorable  means  as  possible,  and 
proceed  to  sea. 

If  your  ship  was  fully  manned,  in  all  respects  fitted  for 
such  a  cruise,  we  should  recommend  to  you  to  take  a 
voyage  towards  the  entrance  of  the  Baltic,  or  some  other 
distant  seas,  where  the  ship's  company  might  have  an 
opportunity  of  making  ample  profits  to  themselves,  as 
well  as  acquiring  the  honor  of  serving  their  country  in 
her  most  essential  interests  by  striking  an  important  blow 
to  her  enemies.  But  we  leave  this  entirely  to  your  own 
discretion,  as  we  do  also  an  attempt  to  take  or  destroy 
any  considerable  part  of  the  enemy's  fishery  at  the  Banks 
of  Newfoundland,  or  any  of  the  seas  adjacent. 


aA  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

Having  mentioned  these  things,  we  leave  it  entirely  to 
your  own  judgment  to  plan  your  voyage  homewards,  and 
to  touch  at  such  ports  as  you  shall  think  necessary  in 
France,  Spain,  the  West  India  Islands,  or  North  America, 
recommending  it  to  you  to  do  everything  in  your  power, 
to  take  as  many  prizes  as  possible,  and  to  get  into  safe 
ports  as  many  as  you  can  man,  and  destroy  all  others. 
You  are  to  be  careful  who  are  British  subjects  on  board 
the  vessels  you  may  take,  and  transport  them  to  America, 
that  they  may  be  exchanged  for  our  brave  but  unfortunate 
brethren  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  We  recommend  Mr. 
Livingston  as  your  first  lieutenant,  if,  upon  examination, 
you  find  no  objection  to  him  ;  the  other  places  you  will 
fill  up  as  you  think  best  for  the  service. 

You  will  take  particular  care  that  these  orders  may 
not,  in  case  of  misfortune, — which  God  forbid,  —  fall  into 
the  hands  of  the  enemy.  We  wish  you  a  prosperous 
voyage,  and  are 

Your  humble  servants. 

B.  FRANKLIN, 

ARTHUR  LEE, 

JOHN  ADAMS. 
SAMUEL  TUCKER,  Esq., 

Commander  of  the  frigate  Boston. 

PASSI,  NEAR  PAKIS,  April  15,  1778. 

SIR  :  We  this  moment  had  the  pleasure  of  your  letter 
from  Bordeaux,  April  n,  and  approve  of  your  activity  in 
getting  your  ship  ready  for  sea.  We  have  despatched 
Captain  Palmes  your  orders  for  your  future  government, 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  95 

and  shall  write  this  day  to  Mr.  Bendfield  to  supply  you 
with  necessary  provisions,  and  are  your  very  humble 
servants,  B.  FRANKLIX, 

ARTHUR  LEE, 

CAPTAIN  TUCKER.  JOHN  ADAMS- 

Mr.  Livingston,  his  lieutenant,  wrote  him  from  Paris, 
July  8,  1778,  "  I  have  this  day  been  with  the  commis- 
sioners, who  are  perfectly  satisfied  with  all  that  you  have 
done.  .  .  .  They  think  a  great  deal  of  our  cruise ; 
indeed,  more  than  we  do  ourselves." 

1778,  July  3.  He  arrived  at  L'Orient,  and  anchored  in 
the  harbor  of  St.  Louis.  Here  he  found  two  of  his  prizes 
had  preceded  him  ;  one  of  which  was  a  Scotch  brig, 
bound  to  St.  Ubes,  which  he  had  captured  on  the  2oth 
of  June.  On  the  5th  of  July  Mr.  Schweighauser,  Conti- 
nental Agent  at  Paris,  wrote  to  him  about  four  prizes 
taken  by  the  Boston  frigate. 

July  10.  While  they  were  making  some  repairs  at  this 
port,  Mr.  Latuche,  one  of  his  Most  Christian  Majesty's  gen- . 
erals  at  L'Orient,  came  on  board  with  a  band  of  officers, 
aud  asked  the  French  seamen  and  marines,  in  Captain 
Tucker's  presence,  being  the  persons  who  had  enlisted 
for  this  cruise,  if  they  wished  to  quit  the  service  and  go 
on  shore.  They  answered  they  did,  and  alleged  bitter 
things  against  Lieutenants  Reed  and  Bates,  besides  com- 
plaining against  the  captain.  Mr.  Latuche  released  and 
sent  away  forty-seven  of  his  men,  and  treated  Captain 
Tucker  with  great  harshness,  utterly  disregarding  the 
respect  due  to  character  and  naval  rank. 


n<5  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

These  men  enlisted  voluntarily,  and  were  well  treated 
by  the  officers  and  men  on  board  the  Boston,  and  there 
was  no  sound  reason  for  such  an  arbitrary  and  ungenerous 
interference.  Captain  Tucker  threatened  the  French  gen- 
eral, that  he  should  write  to  the  American  commissioners 
at  Paris,  and  make  a  representation  of  the  injustice  with 
which  he  had  been  treated.  And  he  forthwith  wrote  to 
them,  setting  forth  his  grievances  ;  but  the  commissioners 
replied  fully  and  prudentially  to  the  captain.  In  their 
answer,  which  has  fortunately  been  saved  from  the 
wreck  of  his  history,  it  is  easy  to  see  the  delicate  and 
ticklish  circumstances  in  which  they  stood.  This  was 
the  reply :  — 

PASSI,  July  22.  1778. 

SIR:  We  have  received  your  letters  relative  to  the 
disputes  between  two  of  your  officers  and  some  of  your 
men  belonging  to  this  nation  ;  and  we  are  of  opinion  that 
if  the  men  are  enlisted  upon  the  ship's  books,  to  go  to 
Boston,  they  ought  to  return  to  the  ship,  and  be  received 
by  you,  and  are  entitled  to  their  wages  and  prize-money. 
But,  if  they  are  not  enlisted  in  writing  to  go  to  Boston, 
but  only  for  a  cruise,  that  cruise  is  completed  by  the  ship's 
return  to  France ;  and  they  have  a  right  to  leave  the  ship 
if  they  choose  it,  and  are  entitled  to  their  share  of  wages 
and  prize-money,  deducting  therefrom,  however,  what  has 
been  advanced  them  by  the  captain  and  purser.  You  are 
strictly  enjoined  to  take  special  care  that  all  Frenchmen, 
who  may  be  in  the  service  under  you,  be  at  all  times 
treated  with  justice  and  impartiality,  and  that  suitable 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  97 

allowance  be  made  for  the  difficulties  they  are  under  in 
not  understanding  our  language  and  not  being  habituated 
to  our  customs. 

We  are  your  humble  servants, 

B.  FRANKLIN, 
ARTHUR  LEE, 
JOHN  ADAMS. 

P.  S.  If,  however,  the  men  insist  on  leaving  the  ship, 
although  enlisted  expressly  to  go  to  Boston,  we  advise 
you  to  agree  to  it ;  but,  in  that  case,  we  think  they  are 
not  entitled  to  wages  or  prize-money. 

Such  is  the  brief  statement  of  a  troublesome  and  pro- 
voking incident,  which,  in  his  journal  —  to  use  a  sea 
phrase  —  is  scudded  over  in  only  a  few  words,  written  in 
pale  ink,  and  scarcely  legible.  We  have  become  a  great 
nation  since  that  French  officer,  dressed  in  a  little  brief 
authority,  caused  no  small  anxiety  and  inconvenience  to  a 
faithful  and  honorable  man,  who  showed  him  the  enlist- 
ment papers  and  ship  books,  yet  without  avail.  The 
passions,  feelings,  and  persons  of  all  concerned  in  that 
affair  are  now  buried  in  the  grave. 

The  resources  of  Captain  Tucker  were  diminished,  and 
discouraging.  On  mustering  the  ship's  company  the  next 
day,  he  found  that,  with  the  officers,  men,  and  boys,  he 
could  only  enumerate  a  crew  of  one  hundred  and  forty- 
six  persons —  much  too  small  either  to  fight  any  large 
ship  of  the  enemy,  or  send  many  prizes,  with  a  detach 
ment,  to  any  safe  port.  The  usual  complement  of  q 
frigate,  armed  for  a  cruise  in  war  time,  is  said  by  expe 

7 


98 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 


ricnced  officers  in  the  navy  to  consist  at  least  of  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty  men. 

August  I.  Having  sold  his  three  prizes,  he  weighed 
anchor,  warped  his  ship  out  of  the  harbor,  and  by  noon, 
being  clear  of  the  rocks  at  the  mouth  of  it,  he  hoisted  in 
his  boats  and  made  sail  for  Nantes.  Having  passed  Belle 
Isle,  Groix,  and  Quimper  Point,  he  came  to  anchor  in  the 
roads  of  Paimbo3uf.  Here  Commodore  Whipple  came  on 
board,  and  on  the  7th,  at  4  P.  M.,  fired  a  gun  and  hoisted 
a  signal  at  the  top-gallant-mast  head  for  the  fleet  to  send 
their  boats  for  orders.  The  next  day,  August  8,  they 
sailed.  There  were  eight  ships  in  the  fleet  under  convoy, 
besides  other  vessels  bound  to  Brest,  where  the  Ranger, 
Captain  Simpson,  was  expected  to  join  them.  "  Then," 
said  Tucker,  "  there  will  be  two  frigates  and  a  sloop  of 
war  belonging  to  the  THIRTEEN  STATES." 

At  8  P.  M.  the  tower  of  Le  Croisie  bore  north-east  half 
east,  fifteen  miles  distant,  and  the  whole  fleet  in  sight. 
On  the  way  they  saw  two  ships,  and  set  out  in  chase; 
but  the  wind  failed  them.  The  next  day  they,  saw  seven 
sail  in  the  distance,  but  could  not  discover  whether 
French  or  English. 

August  14.  They  arrived  at  Brest.  Being  in  advance, 
he  writes  that  he  judged  it  proper  to  let  Commodore 
Whipple  precede  him  in  entering  the  harbor.  Such  is 
the  courteous  demeanor  of  a  true  gentleman  of  the  "  old 
school "  of  chivalry.  He  who  feels  respect  for  the  rank 
and  merit  of  others  will  generally  experience  a  return  of 
it  Jn  those  delightful  delicacies  of  conduct  which  make 
life  interesting. 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 


99 


Brest  has  a  spacious  bay,  and  lies  beneath  a  steep 
declivity,  with  ramparts  around  the  town,  shaded  with 
trees.  An  ancient  castle,  on  a  precipitous  rock,  protects 
the  entrance.  There  are  fine  quays  and  a  superb  arsenal ; 
and  it  is  one  of  the  greatest  naval  stations  in  France. 
The  French  fleet  was  lying  there.  Salutes  were  mutually 
fired,  and  a  company  of  citizens  paid  them  a  visit  at  their 
anchorage.  The  French  admiral,  with  Captains  Simp- 
son and  Tucker,  made  a  call  on  Commodore  Whipple. 
The  French  fleet  consisted  of  one  three-decker,  twenty 
two-deckers,  eight  frigates,  three  snows,  and  one  lugger. 

August  22.  The  Providence,  Boston,  and  Ranger 
sailed  with  a  fine  breeze.  It  was  reported  that  Admiral 
Keppel  was  in  the  vicinity,  watching  this  fleet,  and  our 
little  squadron  was  in  immediate  danger.  In  the  Boston 
Gazette,  published  October  5,  1778,  is  the  following 
extract  from  a  letter  dated  at  the  mouth  of  Brest  harbor, 
August  21,  1778.  It  describes  the  situation  of  our  three 
ships  of  war  at  that  time,  and  was  written  by  some  one 
who  was  on  the  spot. 

"  We  are  now  in  company  with  Commodore  Whipple, 
in  the  Providence,  and  Captain  Simpson,  in  the  ship 
Ranger,  formerly  commanded  by  Captain  Paul  Jones. 
A  fleet  of  French  ships,  under  the  command  of  Admiral 
and  Due  Decnaso,  consisting  of  twenty-nine  sail  of  the 
line  and  eleven  frigates  ;  they  are  to  be  joined  by  eight 
more  ofF  Ushant.  The  fleet  sailed  on  the  i7th  instant. 
Admiral  Keppel  has  the  same  number  of  shipping  at  sea, 
waiting  for  the  fleet.  The  French  are  in  high  spirits. 
We  expect  to  see  them  in  the  channel.  Captain  Tucker 


IOO  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

is  a  brave  man,  and  never  will  leave  the  Providence  to  be 
taken  by  the  Rainbow." 

August  24.  The  little  squadron  escaped.  They  gave 
chase,  and  took  the  brig  Sally,  Captain  Ward. 

September  i.  The  ships  thus  far  had  sailed  in  com- 
pany, and  interchanges  of  conviviality  were  often  renewed 
between  their  commanders  in  the  halcyon  days  of  this 
season.  Captain  Tucker  speaks  with  much  interest  of 
saving  the  life  of  a  cabin  boy  who  had  fallen  overboard  ; 
but  being  a  good  swimmer,  he  took  off  his  coat  in  the 
water,  and  at  last  becoming  exhausted,  was  just  reached 
by  the  boat  as  he  was  going  down  the  third  time. 

While  the  other  two  frigates  were  in  sight,  he  gave 
chase  to  a  brig  called  the  Friends,  Captain  McFarling, 
and  took  it.  On  the  pth  he  captured  the  snow  Adven- 
ture, Captain  Symes. 

September  26.  The)7  reached  soundings,  latitude  45° 
north,  longitude  51°  23'  west,  on  the  Grand  Bank,  in  eighty 
fathoms  of  water ;  the  weather  hazy  and  disagreeable. 

September  29.  It  became  so  foggy  that  Captain  Tucker 
fired  guns,  but  heard  no  reply.  Yet  the  frigates  afterwards 
met  again,  and  on  the  I5th  of  October  all  three  arrived 
safely  in  Portsmouth. 

Thus  ends  this  interesting  voyage  of  the  frigate  Boston 
to  France.  In  his  journal,  or  log-book,  Captain  Tucker 
records  a  few  instances  of  corporal  punishment.  They 
were  extreme  cases,  in  which  he  deemed  the  terrors  of 
the  "  cat"  necessary  to  prevent  gross  and  mutinous  viola- 
tions of  duty,  and  to  restrain  others  from  like  offending. 
In  the  perusal  of  this  diary,  it  is  pleasing  to  notice  that 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  IOI 

he  seldom,  and  with  reluctance,  resorted  to  such  ignomin- 
ious measures  ;  and  whenever  he  felt  obliged  to  punish 
an  offender,  he  tempered  justice  with  mercy.  In  two  or 
three  instances  half  the  penalty  was  remitted  to  the  peni- 
tent culprits. 

An  extract  is  here  inserted  from  the  Independent 
Ledger,  published  by  Draper  &  Folsom,  July  29,  1778. 
"  An  officer  in  the  Continental  frigate  Boston,  in  which 
the  Hon.  John  Adams,  Esq.,  sailed  from  hence  in  Feb- 
ruary last  for  France,  lately  arrived  from  Halifax.  He 
was  on  board  a  rich  prize  taken  by  the  Boston,  and  val- 
ued at  eighty  thousand  pounds  sterling,  which  was  after- 
wards retaken  by  a  British  frigate  and  carried  into  Halifax. 
He  reports  that  in  her  passage  the  Boston  had  a  very 
narrow  escape,  having  been  struck  by  lightning,  which 
shattered  her  mast  and  made  its  way  almost  to  a  maga- 
zine of  powder,  but,  providentially,  did  not  reach  it ;  by 
which  the  ship  and  all  on  board  were  preserved  from 
immediate  destruction.  We  hear  she  took  two  other 
prizes  of  considerable  value,  which  were  ordered  to 
Europe." 

In  the  Life  and  Works  of  John  Adams  (Vol.  X.  pp. 
26,  27)  may  be  seen  the  copy  of  a  letter  from  Ex-President 
John  Adams  to  J.  B.  Varnum,  Esq.,  in  which  he  relates 
the  very  complimentary  language  of  Captain  Mclntosh, 
who  was  captured  in  the  Martha,  upon  his  examination 
of  the  frigate  Boston.  The  letter  is  dated  Quincy,  5th 
January,  1813. 

"  I  said  I  would  give  you  two  anecdotes :  I  will  add  a 
third.  In  1778  I  went  to  France  in  the  Boston  frigate. 


I02  LIFE   OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

We  took  a  very  rich  prize,  commanded  by  a  captain  who 
had  served  twenty  years  in  the  British  navy,  several  of 
them  as  lieutenant.  The  captain  became  very  curious  to 
examine  the  ship.  Captain  Tucker  allowed  him  to  see 
everv  part  of  her.  As  we  lived  together  in  the  cabin,  we 
became  very  intimate.  He  frequently  expressed  to  me 
his  astonishment.  He  said  he  had  never  seen  a  completer 
ship  ;  that  not  a  frigate  in  the  royal  navy  was  better  built, 
of  better  materials,  or  more  perfectly  equipped,  furnished, 
or  armed  ;  and  '  if  you  send  to  sea  such  ships  a£  this,  you 
will  be  able  to  do  great  things.' " 

A  paragraph  from  the  eloquent  eulogy  on  Adams  and 
Jefferson,  by  the  Hon.  Peleg'Sprague,  July  26,  1826,  will 
close  this  chapter. 

"  Mr.  Adams  was  removed  from  the  Congress  to  other 
scenes  of  important  duty  and  usefulness.  In  August, 
1778,  he  was  sent  to  Europe  as  commissioner  of  peace. 
The  public  ship  on  board  which  he  embarked  was  com- 
manded by  the  gallant  Commodore  Tucker,  now  living, 
and  a  citizen  of  this  State,  who  took  more  guns  from  the 
enemy  during  the  Revolutionary  war  than  any  other 
naval  commander,  and  who  has  been  far  less  known  and 
rewarded  than  his  merits  deserved.  One  occurrence  on 
their  passage  is  worthy  of  relation,  as  illustrating  the 
character  of  both.  Discovering  an  enemy's  ship,  neither 
could  resist  the  temptation  to  engage,  although  against 
the  dictates  of  prudent  duty.  Tucker,  however,  stipu- 
lated that  Mr.  Adams  should  remain  in  the  lower  part  of 
the  ship,  as  a  place  of  safety.  But  no  sooner  had  the 
battle  commenced  than  he  was  seen  on  deck  with  a 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  103 

musket  in  his  hands,  fighting  as  a  common  marine.  The 
commodore  peremptorily  ordered  him  below  ;  but,  called 
instantly  away,  it  was  not  until  considerable  time  had 
elapsed,  that  he  discovered  this  public  minister  still  at 
his  post,  intently  engaged  in  firing  upon  the  enemy. 
Advancing,  he  exclaimeJ,  'Why  are  you  here,  sir?  I 
am  commanded  by  the  Continental  Congress  to  carry  you 
in  safety  to  Europe  ;  and  I  will  do  it ; '  and,  seizing  him 
in  his  arms,  forcibly  carried  him  from  the  scene  of 
danger." 


CHAPTER    VI. 

CRUISES.  —  CAPTURE  OF  THE  POLE,  THORX,  &c. 

COMMODORE  TUCKER  in  his  life,  it  has  been 
stated,  —  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  fact, 
—  transmitted  to  a  friend  in  Congress  a  list  of  all  the 
prizes  he  captured  during  the  war,  with  some  account 
of  his  battles.  Among  his  papers,  since  his  decease,  no 
such  list  could  be  found,  and  only  imperfect  fragments  of 
his  engagements  with  the  enemy.  A  history  of  this  kind 
in  his  own  hand,  or  drawn  up  under  his  dictation,  would 
have  been  a  very  interesting  document ;  more  especially 
as  some  of  the  principal  battles  he  fought  in  his  numerous 
cruises  were  attended  with  much  loss  of  life  and  great 
peril  and  anxiety.  He  often  narrated  them  in  conversation 
with  his  intimate  friends  ;  but,  unfortunately,  a  very  few 
were  preserved  by  the  pen,  and  the  rest  are  now  beyond 
recall,  for  the  generation  has  passed  away,  and  there  are 
not  many  living  who  knew  him.  Yet  a  few  of  such  con- 
versations have  been  preserved,  though  imperfect  in  a 
detail  of  names  and  dates. 

Allusion  to  these  battles,  however,  may  be  found  in 
a  few  of  the  letters  of  his  correspondence,  and   among 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  105 

the  fragmentary  papers  which  still  exist.  Among  them 
is  a  letter  from  the  late  John  Paine,  Esq.,  of  Thomaston, 
Maine,  a  gentleman  well  known  and  much  respected  in 
his  day.  He  refers  to  a  battle  fought  in  the  dead  of 
night,  when  Captain  Tucker  captured  an  armed  vessel, 
after  a  severe  contest.  The  scene  of  the  conflict  was 
terrible.  The  dashing  of  the  waves,  the  thunder  of  the 
artillery,  and  the  uncertainty  and  horror  of  such  a  death 
struggle  in  darkness,  or  with  only  the  gleam  of  the  stars, 
was  enough  to  appall  the  stoutest  heart.  The  prize 
was  taken,  but  her  name  and  that  of  her  captain  now 
rest  in  oblivion.  Some  narratives,  coming  directly  from 
persons  who  fought  under  his  command,  will  appear  in 
due  season. 

After  his  arrival  in  Boston,  which  was  in  the  latter 
part  of  October,  he  spent  a  short  time  with  his  family  in 
Mnrblehead,  and  then  returned  to  duty.  His  country 
needed  his  services,  and  he  was  too  loyal  a  man  to  waste 
his  days  in  inglorious  case  at  home.  In  a  few  weeks  the 
frigates  were  repaired,  equipped,  and  manned,  and  ready 
for  another  cruise.  They  frequently  left  the  port  in 
company,  were  gone  a  short  time,  and  made  many 
captures.  An  arrangement  like  the  following  often  oc- 
curred in  our  navy. 


ON  BOARD  THE  CONTINENTAL  FRIGATE  PROVIDENCE,  ) 
BANKS  OF  NEWFOUNDLAND,  September  27,  1778.      J 

It   is   agreed   that  we   cruise  on  the  Banks  of  New- 
foundland  till    the    5th    of  October,   and    then    pursue 


IO6  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

such    methods  as  shall   be  judged   best   to    make    some 
port  within  the  Thirteen  United  American  States. 

A.  WHIPPLE. 

S.  TUCKER. 

SIMPSON. 
A  true  copy. 

GEO.  RICHARDS. 

In  the  summer  of  1779,  the  Deane,  Captain  Samuel 
Nicholson,  and  the  Boston,  Captain  Tucker,  made  a 
cruise  of  this  kind,  and  in  August  took  several  prizes. 
Though,  in  the  Naval  History,  Mr.  Cooper  observed, 
"  no  action  of  moment  occurred,"  yet  he  enumerates 
several, — "the  Sandwich  (a  packet),  and  two  priva- 
teers, the  Glencairn,  twenty,  the  Thorn,  eighteen,"  among 
the  captures,  —  and  it  is  hardly  to  be  supposed  they  were 
taken  without  a  blow.  The  Deane'  and  Boston  returned 
safe  into  port,  as  observed  in  the  Boston  Gazette,  Septem- 
ber 13,  17/9,  "after  a  successful  cruise." 

It  was  some  time  during  the  year  1779,  that  the  Boston, 
Tucker,  and  the  Confederacy,  thirty-two,  commanded 
by  Captain  Harding,  were  ordered  on  a  cruise  to  the 
West  India  seas,  to  convoy  a  fleet  of  merchantmen, 
sent  from  St.  Eustatia,  which  belonged  to  the  Dutch, 
with  supplies  of  clothing  for  the  American  army.  They 
had  been  purchased  in  Holland  by  our  agent,  and  sent 
to  this  island  for  reconveyance  on  account  of  the  British 
cruisers.  War  had  not  then  been  declared  between 
England  and  Holland,  nor  until  February  n,  1781. 
These  supplies  were  greatly  needed  by  the  destitute  and 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  107 

suffering  troops,  whose  distressed  situation  was  depicted 
in  mournful  colors  in  the  letters  of  General  Washington 
to  Congress. 

Some  circumstances  will  tend  to  fix  the  date  of  this 
convoy  of  the  two  frigates.  For  the  Confederacy,  thirty- 
two  guns,  was  built  in  Connecticut,  and  according  to 
the  Independent  Chronicle,  printed  in  Boston,  Novem- 
ber 19,  1778,  she  was  launched  on  the  23d  of  that  month. 
In  June  16,  1779,  there  was  a  letter  written  from  John 
Wharton,  and  James  Reed,  of  the  Navy  Board,  Philadel- 
phia, to  Captain  Tucker,  in  which  the  Boston  and  Con- 
federacy, are  mentioned  as  in  company ;  consequently 
their  cruise  was  in  the  spring,  or  first  of  summer. 

Commodore  Tucker  met  the  fleet  of  merchantmen  on 
their  way,  pursued  by  two  British  frigates,  hovering  like 
eagles,  ready  to  pounce  upon  their  prey.  At  this  critical 
juncture,  he  made  a  signal  to  the  Confederacy  to  attack 
one,  while  he  would  engage  the  other.  Seeing  that  the 
cautious  enemy  avoided  them  and  sheered  off,  they  con- 
voyed the  Eustatia  fleet  safe  to  their  destined  port  in 
Philadelphia.  It  was  reported  that  the  commander  of 
these  British  frigates  was  afterwards  tried  by  a  naval 
court  martial  in  New  York,  and  escaped  disgrace  by 
pleading  that  the  men  mutinied,  and  would  not  fight  the 
Americans.  Perhaps  that  was  the  fact ;  for  British  sea- 
men were  reluctant  combatants  against  their  own  kith 
and  kin,  and  besides,  they  knew  too  well  that  the 
Yankees  fought  desperately.  The  commodore  used  to 
relate,  that  this  British  officer,  smarting  under  the  im- 
putation of  cowardice,  left  New  York  expressly  to 


I0g  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

redeem  his  character  by  seeking  and  finding  the  "  rebel 
Tucker,"  as  he  called  him,  "  and  giving  him  a  sound 
drubbing."  He,  therefore,  had  reenforced  his  ship,  at 
New  York,  with  a  crew  of  picked  men,  and  was  deter- 
mined to  wipe  off  the  stain  on  his  reputation  by  a 
battle  at  the  first  opportunity. 

Tucker  soon  discovered  this  same  frigate  under  gallant 
sail  on  the  high  seas,  for  he  knew  her  features  well. 
Disguising  his  own  ship  with  English  colors,  —  a  decep- 
tion not  then  uncommon  in  our  small  and  struggling 
navy,'- — he  prepared  for  battle,  and  sailed  up  within  pistol 
shot,  under  the  quarters  of  the  English  frigate.  Having 
got  a  commanding  position,  he  immediately  hoisted 
the  stars  and  stripes,  and  ordered  an  instant  surrender. 
The  enemy,  seeing  resistance  against  a  raking  fire  would 
be  in  vain,  struck  his  flag,  and  gave  up  the  ship.  So 
true  it  is,  that  no  warrior  should  boast  until  he  put  oft* 
his  armor.  Such  is  one  of  the  accounts  of  this  capture. 

But  a  more  particular  description  of  the  taking  of  this 
frigate  was  related  to  the  author  by  a  gentleman,  to 
whom  Tucker  often  described  it. 

His  bravery  and  great  success  in  taking  prizes  was  a 
subject  of  daily  talk  among  the  British  officers  in  New 
York,  and  they  were  resolved  to  stop  the  career  of  the 
"  rebel  Tucker."  A  frigate  equal,  if  not  superior,  in 
metal  to  the  Boston,  was  fitted  out,  and  a  hundred  picked 
men  were  selected  -to  board  her.  The  news  reached 
Tucker  in  some  way.  In  a  few  days  after  he  saw  the 
English  frigate  coming  along,  and  knew  her  well,  from 
her  build,  as  one  he  had  formerly  chased.  He  sailed 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  109 

towards  her  under  English  colors ;  and  as  soon  as  he 
came  within  speaking  distance,  the  British  captain  hailed 
him  :  — 

"  What  ship  is  that?" 

"  Captain  Gordon's,"  said  the  commodore  ;  for  Captain 
Gordon  commanded  an  English  ship,  modelled  and  built 
much  like  the  Boston,  and  had  taken  a  number  of 
American  prizes. 

"Where  are  you  from?" 

"  From  New  York,"  said  Tucker. 

u  When  did  you  leave?  " 

"  About  four  days  ago.  I  am  after  the  Boston  frigate, 
to  take  that  rebel  Tucker,  and  am  bound  to  carry  him 
dead  or  alive  to  New  York." 

"Have  you  seen  him?" 

Tucker  rejoined,  "Well,  I  have  heard  of  him:  they 
say  he  is  a  hard  customer." 

During  all  this  conversation,  the  commodore  was 
manoeuvring  to  bring  his  ship  into  a  raking  position,  so 
as  to  sweep  the  decks  of  the  English  frigate.  He  had 
every  man  at  his  post,  the  guns  shotted,  his  gunners  with 
lighted  matches  in  their  hands,  and  all  waiting  orders  of 
the  commander.  There  was  a  man  in  the  maintop  of  the 
enemy's  ship  who  had  formerly  known  the  commodore, 
and  he  cried  out  to  the  English  captain,  "  That  is  surely 
Tucker  :  we  shall  have  a  h — 11-smell  directly." 

This  was  overheard  by  Tucker ;  and  having  got  his 
ship  in  a  raking  position  just  as  he  wished,  and  seeing 
he  was  discovered,  he  gave  the  order  to  his  men,  — 

"Down  with  the  English  flag,  and  hoist  the  American." 


HO  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

He  then  said  to  the  British  captain  in  a  voice  of  thunder, 
"  The  time  I  proposed  talking  with  you  has  ended. 
This  is  the  Boston  frigate  —  I  am  Samuel  Tucker,  but  no 
rebel.  Either  fire  or  strike  your  flag."  Observing  that 
his  adversary  had  all  the  advantage,  and  that  a  broad- 
side must  be  fatal,  the  English  captain  struck  his  flag. 
Not  a  gun  was  fired. 

The  commodore,  on  taking  possession  of  his  prize,  was 
astonished  at  the  size  of  his  prisoners :  they  were  picked 
men,  and  so  stout  that  the  handcuffs  had  to  be  enlarged 
for  them.  The  fact  is,  Tucker  intended  at  first  to  have 
laid  his  ship  alongside  the  English  frigate,  and  after  dis- 
charging a  broadside,  to  have  grappled  and  boarded  her  ; 
but  when  he  saw  so  many  of  these  tall  fellows  on  her 
deck,  he  suspected  there  was  a  numerous  and  powerful 
body  of  marines,  and  he  changed  his  plan  of  attack. 
When  the  English  captain  came  on  board  the  Boston, 
and  went  below  to  the  state-room,  he  shed  tears  to  think 
he  was  captured  by  a  vessel  no  larger  than  his  own. 
It  was  afterwards  reported  that,  on  his  return  to  England, 
he  was  tried  and  disgraced. 

The  reader  may  think  that,  after  all,  we  have  only 
Commodore  Tucker's  word  for  this  brilliant  achievement, 
as  no  notice  has  been  taken  of  it  in  our  naval  histories  ; 
but  always  and  everywhere  truth  will  prevail :  Magna 
est  -veritas,  et  pravalebit.  Fortunately  among  the  letters 
of  the  correspondence  of  Ex-President  John  Adams  (Vol. 
IX.  p.  483),  is  one  dated  Philadelphia,  June  13,  1779  ;  and 
therein  is  this  paragraph  :  "  Tucker  has  sent  in  a  twenty- 
four  gun  ship  this  afternoon,  which  did  not  fire  a  shot 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  Ill 

at  him  before  striking.  It  is  at  the  Capes,  with  the  Con- 
federacy, one  of  the  finest  frigates  in  any  service,  as  it  is 
said  by  voyagers."  It  will  be  remembered  the  Boston 
only  mounted  twenty -four  guns;  and  the  vessel  captured 
must  have  been  the  frigate  Pole.  In  Tucker's  letter 
to  the  Hon.  Benjamin  Brown,  member  of  Congress, 
of  whom  we  have  already  written,  he  mentions  this 
capture,  and  says,  "  the  taking  of  the  Pole  frigate,  which 
was  sent  out  of  New  York  for  the  purpose  of  taking 
me."  So  there  can  be  no  doubt. 

Tucker  took  a  number  of  prizes  and  some  other  armed 
vessels.  In  some  of  the  cruises  he  was  in  company  with 
the  Deane,  as  appears  by  a  letter  to  him  from  William 
Whipple,  Esq.,  of  the  Marine  Committee,  with  instruc- 
tions to  proceed  with  her  to  the  Capes  of  Delaware,  and 
to  Chesapeake  Bay  ;  and  on  his  arrival  at  Hampton,  to 
obtain  all  the  intelligence  he  could  of  the  enemy's  ships, 
or  privateers,  and,  if  none  were  in  that  quarter,  to  take 
such  a  cruise  as  he  thought  best.  The  subjoined  copy 
of  the  original  will  best  explain  the  purpose  of  the 
cruise  :  — 


MARINE  COMMITTEE,          i. 
PHILADELPHIA,  June  25,  1799.  ) 

You  are  hereby  directed  immediately  to  proceed,  in 
company  with  the  frigate  Deane,  from  the  Capes  of 
Delaware  into  Chesapeake  Bay,  and  on  your  arrival 
there,  at  Hampton,  or  any  other  way,  endeavor  to  obtain 
the  best  intelligence  if  any  of  the  enemy's  ships  of  war 
or  privateers  are  in  the  bay  ;  and  if  you  find  them  there, 


H2  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

and  of  such  force  as  you  are  able  to  encounter,  you  are 
to  proceed  up  and  attack  them,  and  after  taking  or 
destroying  as  many  of  the  said  vessels  as  may  be  in  your 
power ;  or,  should  there  not  be  any  British  vessels  in  the 
bay  then,  without  loss  of  time,  you  are  to  sail  out  of  it, 
on  a  cruise,  in  which  you  are  to  choose  such  stations  as 
you  think  will  be  best  to  accomplish  the  double  purpose 
of  intercepting  the  enemy's  outward-bound  transports 
for  New  York,  from  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  and 
the  homeward-bound  West  India  ships.  We  are  of 
opinion  that  between  latitudes  36  and  41,  and  one  hun- 
dred leagues  eastward  of  the  Island  of  Bermuda,  will  be 
your  best  cruising  ground  ;  but  in  this  we  do  not  mean 
to  restrict  you,  leaving  you  to  exercise  your  own  judg- 
ment, which  probably  may  be  assisted  by  information 
which  may  be  obtained  in  your  cruise.  All  prizes  which 
you  make  you  are  to  send  to  the  nearest  and  most  con- 
venient ports  of  these  States,  and  addressed  to  the  Con- 
tinental agents. 

You  are  to  continue  cruising,  for  the  above  purpose, 
until  the  middle  of  September  next,  or  longer  if  your 
provisions  and  other  circumstances  will  admit  of  it,  and 
afterwards  return  to  the  port  of  Boston,  where  you  must 
be  governed  by  the  orders  of  the  Navy  Board  of  the 
Eastern  Department. 

We  have  ordered  the  Continental  frigates  at  the  east- 
ward to  be  sent  out  to  cruise  for  the  same  purposes  you 
are  now  going  on,  and  we  think  it  very  probable  that 
you  will  fall  in  with  them.  In  that  case,  you,  or  they ,' or 
any  of  them  are  hereby  directed  to  cruise  in  company, 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  113 

under  the  command  of  the  senior  officer ;  and  should  you 
be  joined  by  any  of  those  frigates,  and  find,  by  any  intel- 
ligence you  may  receive  of  the  situation  of  the  enemy's 
sea  force  at  Bermuda,  that  it  will  be  advisable  to  make 
an  attempt  on  their  shipping,  we  recommend  your  under- 
taking it.  By  late  accounts  from  that  island,  the  Virginia 
frigate,  and  a  privateer  out  of  London,  mounting  twenty- 
nine  pounders,  were  the  only  vessels  of  war  then  there. 

We  wish  to  draw  your  serious  attention  to  the  execu- 
tion of  the  business  before  you.  The  great  expense  and 
difficulty  that  attend  the  fitting  and  manning  our  ships 
must  make  you  and  every  commander  in  our  service 
fully  sensible  how  much  they  should  exert  themselves 
to  employ  them  usefully  while  at  sea.  This  considera- 
tion, we  hope,  will  have  due  weight  in  your  mind,  and 
you  will  call  forth  such  action  and  prudent  behavior  as 
will  be  of  essential  service  to  your  country,  and  add  to 
your  own  reputation,  and  honor  to  the  flag. 

We  wish  you  health  and  success,  and  are,  sir, 

Your  very  humble  servants. 
By  order,  WM.  WIIIPPLE. 

P.  S.  The  Confederacy  being  for  a  particular  service, 
we  have  ordered  her  up  here.  Messrs.  Barrens,  at  Hamp- 
ton, in  Chesapeake  Bay,  will  be  proper  persons  for  you 
to  inquire  respecting  the  enemy's  shipping. 

CAPTAIN  SAMUEL  TUCKER. 
8 


HA  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

IN  COUNCIL,       } 
PHILADELPHIA.  June  2,  1779.  ) 

SIR  :  I  wrote  you  this  morning,  to  which  must  now 
refer.  This  will  be  delivered  you  by  Captain  Tucker, 
commander  of  the  Boston  frigate,  under  whom  you 
are  directed  to  act  for  three  weeks,  any  former  orders 
notwithstanding.  At  the  expiration  of  the  three  weeks, 
you  are  either  to  return  within  the  Capes  or  keep  the 
sea,  as  you  may  think  best,  and  as  your  stores  and  neces- 
saries will  permit,  on  no  account  but  in  case  of  the  most 
absolute  necessity  coming  into  port. 

We  shall  forward  to  Lewistown  necessary  stores.  It 
gives  us  great  pleasure  to  hear  the  ship  sails  well ;  and  as 
it  will  greatly  redound  to  your  honor  and  advantage,  as 
well  as  of  the  States  to  make  a  stroke  on  the  privateers  of 
New  York,  we  doubt  not  yon  and  all  on  board  will  exert 
yourselves  fully  and  effectually  to  this  purpose. 
Your  obedient,  humble  servant, 

Jos.  REED, 

President. 
[Directed.] 

ON  THE  PUBLIC  SERVICE. 
To  CAPTAIN  JAMES  MONTGOMERY, 

Commander  of  the  State  Sloop  of  Pennsylvania. 

It  was  observed,  in  Chapter  II.  p.  53,  that  the  origin 
of  the  title  of  commodore  seemed  to  have  arisen  from 
the  seniority  of  command  of  two  or  more  ships  of  war 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  I  15 

sent  on  any  expedition  or  cruise.*  An  instance  of  this 
kind  occurred  in  1779'  when  Commodore  Manly  \vas 
unable  to  leave  home  by  reason  of  sickness,  and  Captain 
Tucker  took  his  place.  If  this  be  correct,  a  fortiori 
Tucker  would  be  entitled  to  the  appellation  of  com- 
modore, when  he  was  ordered  out  as  senior  officer,  in 
company  with  the  commander  of  the  Deane,  July  25, 
1779,  and  before  that  with  Captain  Montgomery,  just 
quoted,  under  whom  Montgomery  was  directed  to  act 
during  their  cruise.  Tucker's  title,  however,  as  com- 
modore, was  never  called  in  question  ;  the  object  here  is 
only  to  show  its  origin. 

There  is  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  him  to  the  Navy 
Board,  dated  July  18,  1779?  written  on  board  the  Boston 
at  sea,  in  which  he  speaks  of  his  capturing,  on  the  I5th 
of  that  month,  the  privateer  Enterprise.  This  letter  was 

*  It  seems  by  the  resolve  of  Congress,  November  15,  1776, 
the  rank  of  the  naval  officers  was  arranged  as  follows  :  — 

Vice  Admiral as  Lieutenant-General. 

Rear  Admiral "    Major-General. 

Commodore "   Brigadier-General. 

Captain  of  a  ship  of  40  > 

..."    Colonel, 
guns  and  upwards     .    ) 

Captain  of  a  ship  of  20  ) 

"   Lieutenant-Colonel. 


to  40  guns 

Captain  of  a  ship  of  10  ) 

/     ..."    Major, 
to  20  guns    ....    3 

Lieutenant  in  the  navy    .     .    .     .    "    Captain. 

—  General  Navy  Register  and  Latvs,  p.  224. 
Commissions  as  admiral  or  commodore  were  never  issued  by 
Congress  under  this  resolve. 


Ug  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

sent  to  them  by  Mr.  Bailey,  prize-master  in  the  sloop 
Mermaid,  Captain  Avery,  of  six  guns,  which  he  had 
taken.  And  on  the  24th.  same  month,  he  writes  again 
to  the  same  Board,  and  mentions  the  arrival  of  the  Deane 
and  Boston  at  Hampton  on  the  I9th  instant,  and  of  the 
above  sloop  Mermaid,  which  was  a  tender  of  the  British 
frigate  Vigilant.  And  in  the  same  letter  he  refers  to  his 
capture  of  a  privateer  of  seventeen  guns  and  eighty  men 
on  the  1 3th  of  the  same  month,  which  was  probably  the 
Enterprise,  named  above.  He  then  describes  the  state 
of  his  ship,  which,  having  been  ordered  only  on  a  cruise 
of  three  weeks,  had  become  short  of  provisions,  suffered 
from  sour  flour,  and  bad  beef,  and  scarcity  of  water  from 
leakage.  The  fact  was,  the  resources  of  the  Continental 
government  were  small  and  feeble,  and  they  had  to  eke 
out  the  uttermost  parings  in  their  meagre  supplies. 

The  prizes  taken  by  the  Boston  alone,  or  in  company 
with  the  Confederacy  or  Deane,  as  he  cruised  with  each, 
were  very  many.  In  the  Independent  Ledger  of  May  21, 
1799,  printed  in  Boston,  is  the  following  piece  of  news: 
"  By  a  schooner  arrived  here  last  Friday,  we  are  in- 
formed that,  a  few  days  before,  she  spoke  with  a  very 
large  Jamaica-man  taken  by  the  Continental  frigate 
Boston,  Captain  Tucker."  Again,  June  7,  "Yesterday 
arrived  safe  in  port  a  brigantine  prize  of  the  Boston, 
laden  with  sugar ;  and  the  Boston,  we  hear,  has  retaken 
from  the  enemy  a  ship  with  a  valuable  cargo,  consisting 
chiefly  of  tobacco."  In  the  same  paper,  August  16, 
"  On  Monday  last  was  sent  into  Philadelphia,  by  the 
frigates  Boston  and  Deane,  the  privateer  schooner  Tryall, 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  1 17 

of  ten  guns,  of  New  York ;  by  which  we  learn  that  the 
privateer  Flying  Fish  is  also  taken  by  these  frigates,  and 
may  be  hourly  expected.  TheTryall  and  Flying  Fish  had 
taken  several  prizes,  some  of  which  had  been  retaken." 

The  Continental  Journal  of  May  27,  1779,  mentions  a 
brigantine,  laden  with  rum  and  sugar,  prize  to  the  frigate 
Boston,  arriving  at  Newburyport,  early  in  the  week. 

In  the  letter  of  June  16,  from  John  Wharton  and  James 
Reed,  Esqs.,  of  the  Navy  Board,  the  very  valuable  prize 
frigate  Pole  is  stated  to  have  arrived  at  Philadelphia,  and 
been  sold,  and  that  she  brought  one  hundred  and  three 
thousand  pounds.  This  was  the  prize  of  the  frigate 
Boston.  A  copy  of  the  original  letter,  fortunately  saved, 
is  here  offered  :  — 

NAVY  BOARD,  MIDDLE  DISTRICT,  ) 
PHILADELPHIA,  25th  June,  1779.     $ 

SIR  :  We  embrace  this  opportunity  to  inform  you  that 
we  have  procured  leave  from  the  judge  of  the  Admiralty 
to  make  sale  of  the  prize-ship  Pole,  previous  to  her  being 
condemned.  And  she  was,  in  consequence  thereof,  sold 
yesterday  for  one  hundred  and  three  thousand  pounds. 
We  reserved  the  provisions,  with  the  coal  that  was  on 
board,  for  a  separate  sale,  all  which  is  not  yet  disposed 
of;  therefore  cannot  say  what  the  whole  amount  will 
be,  but  are  in  hopes  it  will  come  little  short  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  thousand. 

The  measures  we  have  pursued  were  such  as  we 
thought  most  likely  to  promote  the  interest  of  the  captors, 
and  we  flatter  ourselves  we  have  not  been  mistaken. 
We  made  the  conditions  of  sale  for  the  ship  that  one 


IT8  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

half  the  purchase  money  be  paid  down,  and  security 
given  for  the  payment  of  the  other  half  in  a  month  ; 
these  terms,  we  are  confident,  raised  her  price  some 
thousand.  A  Court  of  Admiralty  will  be  held  the  Sth 
July,  for  her  condemnation,  at  which  time  we  intend  to 
claim  the  whole  for  the  captors,  but  don't  undertake  to 
flatter  you  with  any  great  prospects  of  our  being  able  to 
succeed  in  it,  as  time  alone  will  determine.  We  have 
had,  and  shall  continue  to  keep,  your  interest  in  view 
through  the  whole  of  this  business,  and  are  confident  the 
ship  would  not  have  sold  for  one  half  the  sum  in  any 
other  port  of  the  continent. 

The  prize-masters  have  undertaken  to  apply  several 
articles  to  their  own  private  use,  which  they  pretend  to 
claim  as  perquisites,  to  the  value  of  several  hundred 
pounds  which  we  know  of,  and  we  have  some  reason  to 
think  many  things  of  less  value  have  been  applied  in  the 
same  way.  As  a  claim  of  perquisites  by  prize-masters  is 
what  we  cannot  see  the  propriety  of,  we  shall  charge 
them  with  the  amount  of  every  thing  they  have  taken 
which  has  come  to  our  knowledge.  If  the  officers  and 
men  concerned  in  the  capture  think  proper  to  admit  the 
claim,  we  have  no  objection,  though  we  confess  we  do 
not  see  the  justice  or  the  propriety  of  it.  We  would  be 
glad  to  receive  a  few  lines  from  you  on  the  subject  by  the 
first  opportunity  that  offers.  We  are,  in  the  interim,  sir, 
Your  very  humble  servants, 

JOHN  WHARTON, 
JAMES  REED. 
SAMUEL  TUCKER,  Esq., 

Commander  of  the  Continental  Frigate  Boston. 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER.  119 

The  following  extract  from  the  Boston  Gazette  for 
September  13,  1779,  will  show  the  prosperous  cruise 
which  the  Boston  and  Deane  frigates  had  made  :  "  Last 
Monday  arrived  safe  into  port  the  Continental  ships 
Deane  and  Boston,  commanded  by  Samuel  Nicholson 
and  Samuel  Tucker,  Esqs.,  from  a  successful  cruise. 
They  brought  with  them,  and  have  landed,  two  hundred 
and  fifty  prisoners,  among  whom  were  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Duncan  McPherson,  of  the  seventy-third  regiment ; 
Major  Gardiner,  of  the  sixteenth  ;  his  wife  and  family  ; 
Captain  David  Ross,  seventy-third  ;  Captain  James,  of 
the  navy  ;  Mr.  Robertson,  purser  of  the  Swift ;  Powell 
and  Ashley,  masters  in  the  navy  ;  passengers  on  board 
the  Lord  Sandwich  packet,  mounting  sixteen  guns,  which 
sailed  from  New  York  3Oth  of  June,  1779'  f°r  Falmouth  ; 
Captains  Hill  and  Wardlow,  of  the  navy,  with  several 
warrant  and  petty  officers,  who  were  taken  in  the  Thorn, 
a  British  sloop  of  war,  sixteen  guns,  copper-bottomed, 
only  nine  months  old,  from  Portsmouth  to  New  York, 
with  despatches  informing  of  a  Spanish  war  ;  which  ships 
they  have  brought  into  port.  They  have  taken,  during 
their  cruise,  the  ship  Earl  of  Glencairn,  mounting  twenty 
guns,  with  a  cargo  of  dry  goods,  the  invoice  of  which 
amounts  to  forty  thousand  pounds,  besides  four  hundred 
barrels  of  provisions  and  fifty  puncheons  of  rum  ;  the 
brig  Venture,  from  Madeira  to  New  York,  with  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  pipes  of  Madeira  wine,  which  is  safely 
arrived  ;  and  four  privateers  from  New  York,  which  were 
ordered  to  Philadelphia." 

Having  weakened  their  ships  by  manning  their  prizes, 
and  having  so  many  prisoners  on  board,  they  found  it 


J2Q  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

necessary  to  return  into  port.  From  the  Glencairn  was 
thrown  overboard  a  box  containing  a  complete  set  of  types 
and  three  reams  of  paper,  with  isinglass  and  silk  mixed, 
for  counterfeiting  the  Continental  currency,  which  was 
afterwards  taken  up  and  brought  in  by  Captain  Nichol- 
son. The  printer,  who  was  to  counterfeit  the  same,  was 
likewise  taken  in  the  above  ship. 

The  same  paper  of  the  6th  says,  "  Friday  last  arrived 
at  Sandy  Bar,  near  Cape  Ann,  a  prize  brig  taken,  laden 
with  one  hundred  and  fifty  pipes  of  wine,  bound  from 
Madeira  to  New  York,  taken  by  the  Continental  frigate 
Boston." 

It  should  be  remembered  that  in  cruises  where  ships 
set  out  in  company,  they  often  got  separated,  and  at  such 
a  distance  from  each  other,  that,  when  one  of  them  gets 
into  conflict  with  the  enemy,  the  other  can  render  no 
assistance.  Indeed,  more  frequently  each  ship  took  its 
own  prizes,  however  the  division  might  finally  be  between 
them.  The  British  sloop  of  war  Thorn  was  thus  taken 
alone  by  Tucker.  A  year  afterwards  he  commanded  her, 
and  she  became  the  "  field  of  fame"  to  him  in  some  of 
his  most  brilliant  achievements. 

In  the  Independent  Chronicle  of  September  9,  1779, 
there  is  another  confirmation  of  the  success  of  this  cruise. 
"Monday  last,  signals  were  made  from  the  Castle,  to  apprise 
the  town  that  a  number  of  ships  were  ofF,  approaching  the 
harbor.  They  were  found  to  be  the  frigate  commanded 
by  Captain  Nicholson,  and  the  Boston,  Captain  Tucker, 
with  two  prizes,  one  of  the  packet  bound  from  New  York 
to  England,  the  other  a  new  copper-bottom  sloop  of  war, 
from  England  to  New  York,  with  despatches  from  the 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER.  121 

British  government  to  the  officers  in  that  place,  upon  the 
open  rupture  with  Spain.  The  Deane  and  Boston  cruised 
some  time  in  company  with  another  frigate  of  the  United 
States  —  the  Confederacy.  They  have  taken  a  large  num- 
ber of  prizes,  eight  of  which  have  safely  arrived.  Some 
have  been  retaken  ;  among  which  is  a  vessel  from  Scot- 
land richly  laden  with  dry  goods.  The  Boston  has  made 
the  capture  of  thirteen  prizes  this  cruise.  In  the  storm 
of  war  a  privateer  was  taken." 

There  is  a  memorandum  among  the  papers  of  Captain 
Tucker,  wherein  he  enumerates  seven  prizes  which  he 
took  in  June,  viz. :  The  Boyd,  Pole,  Patsey,  Tryall, 
Flying  Fish,  Adventure,  and  Thorn.  Of  some  of  these 
the  following  particulars  have  been  obtained  :  The  Boyd 
was  a  brigantine,  under  license,  and  with  a  manifest  of  a 
cargo  of  sugar,  coffee,  and  tobacco.  The  Pole  frigate  and 
Thorn  have  been  already  described.  The  Pole  was  two 
hundred  tons'  burden,  Captain  John  Maddock  master. 
Among  her  papers  was  found  a  receipt,  dated  October 
8,  1778,  for  dues  paid  Register  Office  of  Greenwich  Hos- 
pital, in  the  port  of  Liverpool,  viz. :  twelve  pounds,  four 
shillings,  three  pence,  on  account  of  the  crew  of  sixty-six 
men.  The  Dolphin  was  a  letter  of  marque,  July  8,  177$' 
Captain  John  Redmond,  a  brigantine  of  sixty  tons,  twelve- 
pounders  and  several  smaller  guns ;  and  there  was  a  com- 
mission dated  May  4,  1799?  from  the  King  of  England,  to 
the  schooner  Patsey,  of  six  four-pounders  and  four  swivels. 
The  Flying  Fish  and  the  Tryall,  it  will  be  recollected, 
were  cruisers.  So  that  six  of  these  seven  prizes  were 
armed  vessels. 


122 


CHAPTER    VII. 

NAVAL  OPERATIONS  AT   THE  SIEGE  OF  CHARLESTON, 
SOUTH  CAROLINA. 

ON  the  nth  of  September,  1779,  Captain  Tucker  was 
cited  to  attend  a  naval  court  martial,  as  a  member, 
on  board  the  Deane,  lying  in  Boston  harbor,  George 
Richards,  Esq.,  being  judge  advocate. 

In  a  letter  to  the  Navy  Board,  on  the  2ist  of  the  same 
month,  he  remarked,  that  since  he  left  Boston,  in  his  last 
cruise,  he  had  taken  thirteen  prizes,  —  the  richest  of 
which  was  retaken, —  and  also  had  captured  the  privateer 
Enterprise. 

The  Boston,  and  frigates  in  company,  having  been 
repaired  and  refitted  by  the  middle  of  November, 
ready  for  another  cruise,  the  officers  and  crews  which 
belonged  to  them  grew  uneasy  and  restless ;  and  notwith- 
standing the  approach  of  winter  and  the  inclemency  of 
the  weather,  they  were  anxious  to  push  out  to  sea.  Con- 
sequently, on  the  I9th  of  that  month,  a  petition  to  the 
NaVy  Board  at  Boston  was  drawn  up  and  signed  by 
Abraham  Whipple,  of  the  Providence,  Samuel  Tucker, 
of  the  Boston,  John  Peek  Rathburne,  of  the  Queen  of 
France,  and  Thomas  Simpson,  of  the  Ranger,  rcmonstrat- 


.LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  123 

ing  against  inaction  and  delay,  and  asking  to  be  employed. 
This  paper,  from  the  patriotic  feelings  and  energy  which 
pervade  it,  bears  the  marks  of  Tucker's  spirit  and 
agency.  It  sets  forth  that  the  ships  under  their  command 
were  completely  manned,  victualled,  and  ready  for  sea, 
and  prays  the  Board  to  grant  them  an  immediate  depart- 
ure. It  states  that  the  weather  on  shore  was  then  inclem- 
ent, the  men  idle  and  discontented,  sickness  for  want  of 
employment  was  beginning  to  prevail,  and  that  while  they 
were  in  port,  "  there  was  neither  health  to  our  people, 
honor  to  ourselves,  nor  interest  for  our  country  to  be 
obtained." 

This  application  was  not  a  dead  letter.  It  touched  the 
heart  of  the  Navy  Board,  and  they  rose  into  action.  The 
imperfect  relics  of  an  old  journal  of  Commodore  Tucker 
show  that  on  the  3oth  of  said  November  these  four  ships 
of  war  were  cruising  off  the  northern  coast  of  Bermuda. 
In  pursuance  of  a  resolve  from  the  Navy  Board,  of  the 
2Oth  of  November,  they  were  ordered  to  proceed  without 
delay  directly  to  Charleston,  South  Carolina.  They  ar- 
rived at  that  port  a  few  days  before  Christmas,  as  ap- 
pears from  Tucker's  letter  to  William  R.  Lee,  Esq.,  of 
January  28,  1780,  wherein  he  states  that  a  brig  of  four- 
teen guns,  from  St.  Augustine,  which  was  taken  on  the 
route,  had  not  reached  any  port,  so  far  as  he  could 
ascertain. 

The  following  may  throw  some  light  on  the  destination 
of  Commodore  Whipple's  squadron  :  — 


124 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 


IN  CONGRESS,  September  20,  1779. 

That  the  Marine  Committee  be  directed  to  give  orders 
to  the  commanding  officer  of  the  frigates  or  ships  of  war 
going  to  South  Carolina,  to  confer  and  cooperate  with 
Major-General  Lincoln,  or  the  commanding  officer  for  the 
time  being,  until  further  orders  of  the  Marine  Committee. 
Extract  from  the  minutes. 

CHA.  THOMSON,  Secretary. 

MARINE  BOARD,      } 
PHILADELPHIA.  September  22,  1779.  ) 

SIR  :  You  are  hereby  ordered  to  pay  the  strictest  ob- 
servance to  the  indorsed  Resolution  of  Congress.     "  The 
commanding  officer  for  the  time  being  "  means  the  com-' 
manding  officer  of  the  State  of  South  Carolina. 
We  are,  sir,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

WM.  WHIPPLE,  Chairman. 
A  true  copy. 

[Directed.] 
To  THE  COMMANDING  OFFICER  OF  THE  FLEET 

DESTINED  FOR  SOUTH  CAROLINA. 


NAVY  BOARD,  EASTERN  DEPARTMENT,  ) 
BOSTON,  November  9,  1779.      5' 

You  are  hereby  required  to  proceed  immediately  with 
your  ship  to  Newbury,  and,  when  oft"  the  bar,  to  hoist 
a  jack  at  your  fore-topmast  head,  and  fire  a  gun  as  a 
signal,  for  the  state  ship,  Captain  Williams,  to  come  out. 
You  are  to  receive  her  under  your  convoy,  and  return 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  125 

with  her  to  this  port.  You  are  to  take  due  care  that 
your  ship  be  not  exposed  to  any  cruisers  that  may  be  on 
the  coast,  and  be  very  vigilant  to  avoid  any  appearances 
of  danger  from  British  cruisers,  and  make  as  great  de- 
spatch as  possible. 

We  are,  sir,  your  humble  servants, 

\V.M.  VERXON, 

J.  VERNOX. 
To  SAMUEL  TUCKER,  Esq., 

Commander  of  Ship  Boston. 

To  SAMUEL  TUCKER,  Captain  of  the  Navy  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  and  Commander  of  the  Conti- 
nental Frigate  Boston. 

SIR  :  Enclosed  I  transmit  you  a  copy  of  the  Resolution 
of  Congress,  September  20,  i779>  a^so  *ne  c°Py  °f  a 
letter  from  the  Honorable  Marine  Board,  Philadelphia, 
September  22,  1779,  together  with  a  copy  of  my  orders 
from  the  Honorable  Navy  Board,  Eastern  Department, 
November  20  ;  all  which  you  are  carefully  to  attend  to, 
and  in  case  of  any  misfortune  the  whole  to  be  destroyed 
before  any  of  the  enemy's  boats  board  3-011. 
I  am,  with  due  respect,  sir, 

Your  most  obedient,  very  humble  servant, 

ABRAHAM  WHIPPLE. 

CONTINENTAL  FRIGATE  PROVIDENCE,  } 
AT  SEA,  November  23,  1779.     > 

The  squadron  was  under  the  command  of  Commodore 


126  LIFE    OF   SAMUKI>   TUCKER. 

Whipple.  Tucker,  in  his  letter  to  Mr.  Lee,  goes  on  to  say, 
that  the  ships  were  detained  at  Charleston,  where  an  inva- 
sion was  expected  from  the  British  ;  and  by  a  brig  from 
New  York  to  Savannah,  which  was  "  decoyed"  into  the 
harbor,  it.  was  reported,  that  eight  thousand  troops  were 
being  embarked  from  Georgia  for  this  purpose.  He  then 
gives  his  own  opinion,  that,  having  examined  the  fortifica- 
tions of  the  city,  he  was  apprehensive  they  were  not  suf- 
ficient for  its  defence.  We  shall  see  that  they  proved  so 
in  the  sequel. 

After  Count  d'Estaing  —  who,  on  the  9th  of  October, 
'1779,  with  General  Lincoln,  made  an  unsuccessful  effort 
to  recover  Savannah  —  had  reembarked  his  troops  and 
artillery,  and  retired  from  the  coast  with  his  fleet  of 
twenty  sail,  to  winter  quarters,  in  the  West  Indies,  Sir 
Henry  Clinton  seized  upon  this  chance,  in  the  absence  of 
the  French  admiral,  to  besiege  Charleston.  To  resist  the 
British  force,  composed  of  a  large  fleet  and  body  of 
veteran  troops,  General  Lincoln,  who  commanded  the 
Continental  army  of  the  South,  could  only  rely  upon 
fifteen  hundred  troops  and  a  few  armed  vessels,  together 
with  such  militia  as  were  expected  down  from  the  coun- 
try ;  the  whole  less  than  four  thousand  men. 

Charleston  lies  on  a  neck  of  low  land,  or  peninsula, 
formed  by  the  junction  of  the  Rivers  Ashley  and  Cooper, 
whose  confluence  makes  a  harbor  two  miles  in  width  and 
seven  in  length,  south-east  to  the  ocean.  Ashley  is  twenty- 
one  hundred  yards,  and  Cooper  fourteen  hundred,  wide, 
on  the  margin  of  the  city,  which,  from  shore  to  shore,  is 
about  three  quarters  of  a  mile,  and  extended  in  length,  at 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  127 

the  time  of  the  siege,  a  mile  into  the  country.  The  Islands 
of  Sullivan  and  James  bound  the  harbor  on  the  sea  side, 
on  the  first  of  which  was  the  celebrated  Fort  Moultrie, 
on  the  last  Fort  Jackson,  protecting  the  entrance. 

To  secure  the  conquest  of  this  city,  Sir  Henry  Clinton, 
on  the  nth  of  February,  landed  his  troops  about  thirty 
miles  below  Charleston,  on  John's  Island,  and,  crossing 
over,  marched  them  up  to  Wappoo  Creek,  on  James 
Island,  where  he  threw  up  an  intrenchment,  and  deliber- 
ately prepared  for  the  attack.  In  about  a  month,  having 
passed  over  the  River  Ashley  to  the  neck,  he  there  fortified 
his  camp,  a  mile  from  the  American  ramparts,  and  on 
the  ist  of  April  completed  a  parallel  or  line  of  batteries 
within  eleven  hundred  yards  of  the  defence. 

Nor  was  Charleston  idle.  The  legislature,  then  in  ses- 
sion, resolutely  voted  to  resist  the  enemy  ;  and  chose  John 
Rutledge,  Esq.,  governor,  —  a  man  of  distinguished  talents 
and  energy,  —  who,  with  General  Lincoln,  soon  put  the 
city  in  a  defensive  posture,  so  far  as  their  resources  would 
allow.  From  the  Ashley  to  the  Cooper,  a  line  of  redoubts 
was  thrown  up,  with  an  abatis,  and  a  deep  ditch  in  front 
of  the  ramparts,  with  the  intention  of  sweeping,  by  their 
artillery,  any  force  which  should  be  brought  against  it. 
Every  vulnerable  point  on  the  shores  and  around  the  city 
was  fortified  by  cannon  and  detachments  of  soldiers ;  and 
as  a  reenforcement  was  sent  down  from  the  adjacent 
country  and  uplands,  General  Lincoln  was  soon  at  the 
head  of  nearly  four  thousand  troops  —  a  number,  however, 
not  sufficient  to  man  the  whole  fortifications,  and  secure 
every  part  exposed  to  the  invasion  often  thousand  veteran 


I2g  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

soldiers.  These  fortifications  are  stated,  in  Marshall's  Life 
of  Washington,  to  have  been  three  miles  in  extent.  To 
defend  them,  therefore,  against  superior  numbers,  must 
have  been  a  warfare  exceedingly  severe  and  hazardous, 
though  it  is  said,  that  on  the  loth  of  April  they  were 
strengthened  by  the  arrival  of  seven  hundred  Continental 
troops,  commanded  by  General  Woodford,  who  had 
marched  five  hundred  miles  in  twenty-eight  days  to  the 
relief  of  Charleston. 

While  Sir  Henry  Clinton  was  conducting  the  land 
forces  to  Wappoo  Creek,  Vice  Admiral  Arbuthnot,  with 
his  fleet,  viz.,  one  ship  of  fifty  guns,  two  of  forty-four, 
four  of  thirty-two,  and  some  transports  and  smaller  vessels, 
lay  at  the  mouth  of  the  harbor,  waiting  the  movement  of 
Clinton,  with  the  design  of  attacking  the  besieged  by  sea 
and  land  simultaneously.  Fort  Moultrie  was  then  com- 
manded by  Colonel  Piuckney,  an  intrepid  officer,  with  a 
garrison  of  three  hundred  men. 

It  is  not  intended  to  enter  into  a  detail  of  the  siege,  the 
particulars  of  which  may  be  found  in  several  histories. 
The  writer  only  refers  to  what  is  connected  with  the 
naval  operations. 

In  the  mean  time  every  effort  possible  was  made  to 
prevent  the  access  of  the  British  fleet  to  the  city.  A  cor- 
respondence had  taken  place  between  General  Lincoln 
and  Commodore  Wliipplc,  as  will  appear  by  what 
follows. 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER.  129 

To  SAMUEL  TUCKER,  Esq.,   Commander  of  the  Conti- 
nental Frigate  Boston. 

SIR  :  Having  received  orders  from  General  Lincoln  for 
two  of  the  ships  to  proceed  to  sea  for  some  days,  and  the 
others  to  remain  in  port  till  the  return  of  the  Providence 
and  Ranger,  unless  the  general  should  think  proper  to 
order  you  out,  which  would  be  very  agreeable,  —  in  the 
interim,  shall  desire  that  you  will  endeavor  to  keep  peace 
and  harmony  among  your  officers  and  men,  and  obey  the 
orders  you  may  receive  from  time  to  time  from  the 
General  or  Captain  Rathburne,  as,  on  our  return,  it  is 
more  than  probable  you  will  be  ordered  out. 

Given  tinder  my  hand,  on  board  the  Continental  Frigate 

Providence,  in  the  port  of  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 

this  2oth  day  of  January,  1780. 

To  SAMUEL  TUCKER,  Esq.,  Captain  in  the  American 
Navy,  and  Commander  of  the  Continental  Frigate 
Boston. 

SIR  :  You  arc  hereby  ordered  to  unmoor  your  ship  im- 
mediately (wind  and  weather  permitting),  and  fall  clown 
into  Rebellion  Road,  and  there  to  anchor  till  further 
orders.  It  is  expected  that  these  orders  will  be  complied 
with  immediately. 

Given  under  my  hand,  on  board  the  Frigate  Providence, 
in  the  port  of  Charleston,  this  29th  day  of  January, 
1780. 

ABRAHAM  WHIPPLE. 


130 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER. 


CHARLESTON,  February  n,  1780. 

SIR  :  You  will  please  to  send,  this  evening,  a  row-guard 
into  the  mouth  of  Wappoo  Cut ;  and  on  the  approach  of 
the  enemy,  you  will  fire  three  swivel  guns  at  half  minute's 
distance. 

I  am,  dear  sir,  your  most  obedient  sen-ant, 

B.  LINCOLN. 
CAPTAIN  WHIFFLE. 

SIR  :  The  above  is  a  copy  of  General  Lincoln's  letter, 
and  you  are  hereby  desired  to  send  your  boat  immediately 
into  the  mouth  of  the  Wappoo  Cut,  till  the  morning,  when 
she  may  come  away.  I  have  sent  Mr.  Swain,  as  a  pilot, 
to  show  the  officer,  and  on  the  morrow  will  station  one 
of  the  galleys  there. 

I  am,  sir,  your  most  humble  servant, 

ABRAHAM  WHIFFLE. 
CAPTAIN  TUCKER. 

Received  this  letter  on  the  1310.  inst.  whilst  ) 
in  bed,  per  hand  of  Mr.  Baxter^  i 

BOSTON  FRIGATE,  REBELLION  ROAD,  ) 
February  13,  1780.      5 

DEAR  SIR  :  I  have  to  inform  your  honor  of  my  arrival 
on  board,  and  found  no  pilot  for  the  purpose  of  your 
orders,  and  have  sent  on  board  the  Queen  of  France,  re- 
questing her  pilot ;  but  he  declines  going  ;  therefore  am 
obliged  to  trouble  your  honor  for  the  assistance  of  a  pilot. 
The  bearer,  Mr.  Gardner,  has  his  orders ;  you  will  see 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  131 

them,  if  you  please  ;  make  no  doubt  but  he  will  answer 
the  purpose  designed. 

I  am  your  humble  servant, 

SAMUEL  TUCKER. 

[This  copy  had  no  direction,  but  it  was  probably  to 
Commodore  Whipple.] 

To  SAMUEL  TUCKER  and  THOMAS  SIMPSON,  ESQS.,  and 
Captains  in  the  Navy  of  the  United  States. 

CHARLESTON,  S.  C.,  February,  13,  1780. 
GENTLEMEN  :  In  consequence  of  permission  and  orders 
from  his  Excellency  John  Rutledge,  Esq.,  governor  of  this 
state,  you  are  directed  to  immediately  proceed,  and  with- 
out any  loss  of  time  destroy,  level,  and  erase  the  beacon 
light-house,  with  all  other  ranges  which  may  be  of  any 
use  to  the  enemy  in  their  attempts  to  enter  this  harbor. 
For  your  better  information  it  will  be  necessary  to  take 
with  you  some  experienced  pilots  of  the  harbor,  who  are 
well  acquainted  with  all  the  ranges  of  this  situation.  As 
it  will  be  proper  to  have  this  effected  with  as  much 
secrecy  as  possible,  I  recommend  and  enjoin  the  same. 
The  order  from  his  Excellency,  of  which  a  copy  is  en- 
closed, permitting  the  destroying  of  all  the  ranges,  it  is 
left  to  your  discretion  the  full  completion  and  execution 
of  so  valuable  a  purpose.  It  admitting  of  no  delay,  I 
trust  to  your  activity,  and  confiding  in  the  same, 
Am  your  very  humble  servant, 

ABRAHAM  WHIPPLE. 


132 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 


To  SAMUEL  TUCKER  and  THOMAS  SIMPSON,  Esqs.,  Cap- 
tains in  the  American  Navy. 

CHARLESTON,  February  15,  1780. 

GENTLEMEN:  In  consequence  of  the  orders  from  his 
Excellency  Governor  Rutledge,  I  have  to  direct  that  you 
immediately  proceed,  and  by  the  most  effectual  ways  and 
means  possible,  are  to  level,  erase,  and  tctr.lly  demolish 
the  remains  of  Fort  Johnson.  As  it  may  happen  that  a 
party  of  the  enemy  may  attempt  to  surprise  or  attack  you 
in  the  execution  of  these  orders,  you  will  communicate 
them  to  the  commanding  officers  of  marines  on  board  the 
Providence,  Boston,  and  Ranger,  and  give  such  directions 
as  may  be  necessary  for  the  landing  of  all  their  marines 
in  good  order,  ready  for  immediate  action,  or  to  secure  a 
retreat.  The  care  of  your  men  is  an  object  of  attention. 
You  will  reflect  on  the  necessity  of  advanced  guards  to 
give  timely  notice,  and  use  every  caution  consistent  with 
a  vigorous  execution  of  this  design. 

ABRAHAM  WHIPPLE. 

HEADQUARTERS,      > 
CHARLESTON,  February  26,  1780.  J 

SIR  :  I  find,  from  some  observations  I  made  yester- 
day with  respect  to  the  frigates  under  your  command 
anchoring  near  the  bar,  which  from  the  representations 
made  to  me  I  did  not  expect.  As  the  design  of  your 
being  sent  to  this  department  was,  if  possible,  to  cover 
the  bar  of  this  harbor — a  measure  highly  necessary  — 
therefore  an  attempt  to  do  it  should  be  made,  but  on  the 
fullest  evidence  of  its  practicability. 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER.  133 

I  have,  therefore,  to  request  that  you  will,  as  soon  as 
may  be,  report  to  me  the  depth  of  water  in  the  channel 
from  the  bar  to  what  is  called  Five-fathom  hole,  and 
what  distance  that  is  from  the  bar ;  whether,  in  that 
distance,  there  is  any  place  where  your  ships  can  anchor 
in  a  suitable  depth  of  water.  If  any  place,  how  far  from 
the  bar ;  whether  there  you  can  cover  it,  and  whether  at 
the  station  you  can  be  annoyed  by  batteries  from  the  shore  ; 
whether  a  battery  can  be  thrown  up  by  us  so  as  to  cover 
the  ships  and  secure  a  retreat,  if  it  should  be  necessary  to 
bring  off  the  garrison.  If  you  cannot  anchor  so  as  to 
cover  the  bar,  you  will  please  give  me  your  opinion  where 
you  can  lie  to  secure  this  town  from  an  attack  .by  sea,  and 
best  answer  the  purposes  of  your  being  sent  here,  and  the 
views  of  Congress,  and  the  reasons  for  such  an  opinion. 
In  this  matter  you  will  please  to  consult  the  captains  of 
the  several  ships,  and  the  pilots  of  the  harbor.  You  will 
keep  your  present  station,  or  one  near  thereto,  until  you 
report,  unless  an  opportunity  offer  to  act  offensively 
against  the  enemy,  or  your  own  safety  should  make  it 
necessary  to  remove  ;  in  either  case  you  will  judge. 
I  am,  sir,  your  most  obedient, 

B.  LINCOLN. 
COMMODORE  WHIPPLE. 

ON  BOARD  THE  BOSTON  FRIGATE,     > 
FORT  MOULTRIE,  27th  February,  1780.  5 

DEAR  SIR;  Yours  of  yesterday  we  have  received,  and 
after  having  carefully  considered  and  attended  to  the 
several  requisitions  therein  contained,  beg  leave  to  return 
the  following  answer :  — 


J-J4.  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

At  low  water  there  are  eleven  feet  in  the  channel  from 
the  bar  to  Five-fathom  hole.  Five-fathom  hole  is  three 
miles  from  the  bar,  where  you'll  have  three  fathoms  at 
low  water.  Ships  cannot  be  anchored  until  they  are  that 
distance  from  the  bar.  In  the  place  where  the  ships  can 
be  anchored,  the  bar  cannot  be  covered  or  annoyed  ;  off 
the  North  Breaker  Head,  where  the  ships  can  be  anchored 
to  moor  them,  that  they  may  swing  in  safety,  they  will 
lie  within  one  mile  and  a  half  of  the  shore. 

If  any  batteries  are  thrown  up  to  act  in  conjunction 
with  the  ships,  and  the  enemy's  force  should  be  so  much 
superior  as  to  cause  a  retreat  to  be  necessary,  it  will  be 
impossible  for  us  to  cover  or  take  them  off.  Our  opinion 
is,  that  the  ships  can  do  most  effectual  service  for  the 
defence  and  security  of  the  town,  to  act  in  conjunction 
with  Fort  Moultrie,  which,  we  think,  will  best  answer  the 
purpose  of  the  ships  being  sent  here,  and  consequently, 
if  so,  of  the  views  of  Congress. 

Our  reasons  are,  that  the  channel  is  so  narrow  between 
the  fort  and  the  middle  ground,  that  they  may  be  moored 
so  as  to  rake  the  channel,  and  prevent  the  enemy's  troops 
being  landed  to  annoy  the  fort. 

The  enemy,  we  apprehend,  may  be  prevented  from 
sounding  and  buoying  the  bar  by  the  brig  General  Lincoln, 
the  state  brig  Notre  Dame,  and  other  small  vessels  that 
may  be  occasionally  employed  for  that  purpose. 

We  are,  with  respect, 

Your  honors  most  obedient,  humble  servants, 

Signed  by  three  captains  and  five  pilots. 
Here  follows  a  copy  of  the  pilot's  certificate. 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  135 

REBELLION  ROAD,  February,  1780. 

SIR  :  Having  considered  General  Lincoln's  requisition 
to  the  3Oth  ult.,  viz.,  "  Whether  there  is  a  possibility  of 
the  ships  lying  in  such  a  manner  as  to  command  the 
passage  of  the  bar  of  Charleston  harbor,  and  leave  their 
station,  if  it  should  become  necessary." 

After  having  sounded,  tried,  and  made  such  observa- 
tions as  appear  to  us  necessary,  we  do  declare,  upon  due 
deliberation,  that  it  is,  in  our  opinion,  impracticable.  Our 
reasons  are,  that  when  an  easterly  wind  is  blowing,  and 
the  flood  making  in,  —  such  an  opportunity  as  the  enemy 
must  embrace  for  their  purpose,  —  there  will  be  so  great  a 
swell  in  Five-fathom  hole  as  to  render  it  impossible  for 
a  ship  to  ride,  moored  athwart,  which  will  afford  the 
enemy's  ships,  under  full  sail,  the  advantage  of  passing 
us ;  should  they  effect  that,  the  Continental  ships  cannot 
possibly  get  up  to  Fort  Moultrie  as  soon  as  the  enemy's. 

COMMODORE  WHIPPLE. 

It  will  be  perceived  by  this  correspondence,  that  a 
question  of  great  importance  was  submitted  to  Com- 
modore Whipple  by  General  Lincoln,  "  Whether  there 
is  a  possibility  of  the  ships  lying  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
command  the  passage  of  Charleston  harbor,  and  leave 
their  station,  if  it  should  become  necessary."  Upon  this 
matter  a  consultation  was  immediately  held  by  the  naval 
officers  and  pilots,  and  they  gave  their  deliberate  opinion, 
that  it  would  be  impracticable,  especially  at  "  Five- 
fathom  hole,"  the  place  particularly  designated,  three 
miles  below  the  bar,  on  account  of  the  great  swell  in 


1^6  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

easterly  winds,  and  because  at  low  water  it  was  too 
shallow  for  the  ships  to  anchor  there,  and  where  they 
could  anchor  at  a  distance  from  that  spot  they  could  not 
annoy  the  enemy. 

An  essential  service  was  rendered  by  Captain  Tucker 
in  the  defence  of  the  city.  Governor  Rutledge  required  of 
Commodore  Whipple  that  the  "  Beacon  Light-house,"  with 
the  "  Ranges,"  so  called,  should  be  immediately  levelled 
and  erased.  His  request  was  dated  February  13.  It  was 
an  undertaking  of  peril,  to  be  executed  with  great  secrecy 
and  vigor,  under  the  guns  of  the  British  fleet.  Tucker 
was  deputed  to  the  task.  With  a  chosen  band  he  ac- 
complished it,  to  the  admiration  of  the  governor,  who 
thereupon  wrote  to  General  Lincoln  the  next  day,  — 

DEAR  SIR  :  I  think  Commodore  Whipple's  people, 
who  were  so  dexterous  in  blowing  up  the  light-house 
yesterday,  would,  by  boats,  very  readily  and  effectually 
demolish  the  walls  of  Fort  Johnson.  If  you  think  this  a 
material  service,  I  could  wish  you  could  be  pleased  to 
order  it  performed  immediately  ;  for,  as  Mr.  Hutson  told 
us,  two  loads  of  the  enemy  have  landed  on  this  island  ;  a 
little  delay  might  render  this  attempt  impracticable.  Give 
me  leave  to  submit  to  your  consideration  the  expediency 
of  some  artillery  (if  they  can  be  spared),  keeping  the 
commanding  ground  near  the  fort,  to  prevent  the  enemy's 
doing  so  and  annoying  our  navigation.  A  retreat  might 
be  secured.  I  am,  dear  sir,  yours, 

J.  RUTLEDGE. 

P.  S.     Mr.    Lightwood  just    says    that  a    man    from 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  137 

James  Island  confirms  the  account  of  the  enemy's  having 
sent  over  a  party  thither.     Indeed,  there  is  no  doubt  of  it. 

Commodore  Whipple  was  requested  to  perform  this 
hazardous  work ;  and  he  issued  his  orders  to  Captain 
Tucker  to  select  marines  from  the  ships  and  execute  it, 
which  was  done  ;  and  notwithstanding  the  difficulty  and 
danger  of  the  enterprise,  Tucker  accomplished  the  dem- 
olition of  Fort  Johnson. 

The  British  ships,  with  favorable  wind  and  flood  tide, 
passed  Fort  Moultrie ;  but  not  without  resistance,  and 
the  loss  of  two  hundred  and  seventeen  men,  killed  and 
wounded,  Colonel  Pinckney  having  kept  up  a  brisk 
fire,  damaging  several  vessels  ;  at  last,  seeing  he  could 
not  prevent  their  passage,  he  abandoned  the  fort.  The 
fleet  went  up  the  bay,  and  anchored  oft'  the  ruins  of  Fort 
Johnson.  To  prevent  their  ascending  Cooper  River,  and 
enfilading  the  American  lines,  eleven  vessels  were  sunk, 
and  the  Ranger  and  two  galleys  were  stationed  north 
of  them.  Mills,  in  his  Statistics  of  South  Carolina,  ob- 
serves that  "  Commodore  Whipple  considered  it  most 
prudent  to  transfer  the  crews  and  guns  of  all  his  ves- 
sels, except  one,  to  the  shore  to  reenforce  the  batteries." 
Colonel  Pinckney  also  brought  up  his  garrison  to  man 
the  fortifications. 

In  the  History  of  South  Carolina,  by  William  G. 
Simms,  Esq.,  Chapter  XV.,  there  is  a  particular  account 
of  this  siege,  so  disastrous  to  Charleston  ;  and  yet  Com- 
modore Whipple's  name,  and  his  squadron  of  four  ships 
of  war,  are  not  even  mentioned.  I  make  no  comment. 


j-jS  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

Mills,  in  his  Statistics  of  South  Carolina,  speaks  of  the 
services  of  Commodore  Whipple  with  respect ;  and  his 
name  is  honorably  mentioned  in  Marshall's  Life  of  Wash- 
in^ton,  where  he  refers  to  the  siege  and  loss  of  Charleston. 

The  besiegers  were  advancing  in  the  outworks  on  the 
neck  day  by  day.  On  the  2Oth  of  April  they  had  com- 
pleted a  second  parallel  within  three  hundred  yards  of 
the  American  redoubts,  and  they  summoned  the  city  of 
Charleston  to  surrender.  Distress  and  scarcity  of  food 
had  now  begun  to  prevail  among  the  besieged  population. 
Supplies  from  the  country  were  cut  off.  All  classes  of 
citizens  were  put  on  allowance.  Captain  Tucker  wrote 
home  that  six  ounces  of  pork  and  a  little  rice  were  a 
soldier's  daily  ration.  Several  of  the  troops  had  been 
slain  or  wounded  in  sallies  or  skirmishes.  The  besieged 
were  shut  up  by  a  vigilant  enemy,  and,  in  looking  round, 
saw  their  soldiers  daily  lessening,  while  the  force  of  the 
enemy  .was  increased  by  two  thousand  regulars  from  New 
York.  At  last  famine  began  to  stare  them  in  the  face  ; 
there  wei'e  not  rations  sufficient  for  another  week.  Yet 
they  resisted  the  enemy  and  refused  to  surrender.  One 
more  struggle,  one  last  battle,  —  the  fiercest  and  most 
formidable  during  this  invasion,  —  these  brave  defenders 
dared  to  attempt. 

On  the  1 2th  of  April  a  terrible  cannonading  of  the 
British  commenced  'along  the  lines  of  the  American 
redoubts,  which  began  to  tremble ;  from  twenty-one 
mortars  numerous  bombs  were  thrown  into  the  city. 

On  the  r  ith  of  May  the  British  troops  were  within  twenty- 
five  yards  of  the  line  of  the  besieged.  For  several  days 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  139 

shells  and  hot  shot  had  been  thrown  into  the  city,  setting 
houses  on  fire  in  several  quarters.  At  last  a  third  parallel 
was  finished-,  and  again  the  city  was  summoned  to  sur- 
render. For  two  or  three  days  they  had  been  exposed  to 
a  galling  fire  from  the  ships  of  war  in  the  harbor,  and 
from  the  batteries  at  Wappoo.  Thirty  houses  had  been 
burned  to  the  ground  ;  the  inlrenchments  were  shattered, 
the  garrison  weakened  by  losses,  and  the  Carolina  troops 
so  exhausted  and  discouraged,  that  they  retained  hardly 
strength  enough  to  make  a  firm  stand  against  a  general 
assault.  Under  these  circumstances,  on  the  said  nth 
of  May  General  Lincoln  capitulated  on  terms  honorable 
and  prudent. 

The  siege  had  lasted  thirty  days.  The  defenders  were 
reduced  to  less  than  four  thousand  men,  of  which  a  large 
part  was  composed  of  raw  troops  ;  and  they  were  opposed 
to  an  army  of  regulars  often  thousand  soldiers,  who  were 
well  supplied  with  artillery  and  the  munitions  of  war, 
accompanied  by  skilful  engineers,  and  backed  up  by  a 
fleet  to  cannonade  the  fortifications.  General  Lincoln 
acquitted  himself  with  honor. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  no  small  part  of  the  heavy 
guns  which  bristled  on  the  ramparts  of  the  city  was  sup- 
plied from  the  squadron  of  Commodore  Whipple,  manned 
by  his  marines,  and  pointed  under  the  eye  of  his  officers ; 
and  on  this  Mr.  Simms  is  silent,  though  these  brave  men 
would  have  been  the  last  of  the  defenders  to  ask  quarter. 

The  frigates  Providence,  Boston,  Queen  of  France,  and 
Ranger  were  never  sunk  in  Cooper  River  to  bar  the 
-entrance  ;  they  became  part  and  parcel  of  the  general 


IAO  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

spoil  of  the  enemy.  This  will  appear  plainly  from  a  copy 
of  a  petition  found  among  Captain  Tucker's  papers,  which 
bears  date  May  15,  1780,  wherein  Commodore  Whipple 
and  the  other  commanders  of  these  ships  pray  his  Excel- 
lency Mariot  Arbuthnot,  Vice-Admiral  of  the  Blue,  that 
they  may  be  admitted  to  parole,  "  the  Continental  frigates 
in  this  department  having  been  ceded  by  capitulation  to 
the  arms  of  his  Britannic  Majesty."  These  officers,  who 
were  prisoners  of  war  on  the  surrender  of  the  city,  were 
therefore  soon  put  on  parole.  It  may  be  interesting  to 
some  readers,  if  not  to  all,  to  see  the  formula  of  a  parole 
in  the  American  Revolution.  The  following  is  a  copy  of 
the  one  Captain  Tucker  signed  in  Charleston,  after  the 
capitulation  :  — 

I,  the  subscriber,  Samuel  Tucker,  commander  of  the 
Continental  ship  of  war  Boston,  do  hereby  acknowledge 
myself  a  prisoner  of  war  to  his  majesty,  and  most  solemn- 
ly and  strictly  bind  myself  by  all  the  full,  implicit,  and 
extensive  faith  and  meaning  of  a  parole  of  honor,  which  I 
hereby  give  his  Excellency  Vice-Admiral  Arbuthnot ;  and 
I  will  not,  directly  or  indirectly,  either  by  word  or  deed, 
take  any  further  part  in  the  dispute  between  Great  Britain 
and  the  British  Colonies  in  North  America  until  regular- 
ly exchanged  for  an  officer  of  equal  rank  in  his  majesty's 

service. 

SAMUEL  TUCKER. 

A  true  copy. 

NICHOLAS  BROWN. 
May  20,  1780. 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  141 

Amidst  the  horrors  and  sufferings  of  war,  and  more 
especially  where  the  dread  scenes  of  preparation,  the 
confusion  and  alarm,  and  the  pale  and  anxious  visages  of 
old  men,  women,  and  children,  add  gloomier  shades  to 
the  picture  of  a  besieged  city,  it  is  delightful  to  turn  for  a 
moment  and  contemplate  deeds  of  generosity  and  kind- 
ness between  any  of  the  combatants.  Many  such  instances 
bore  witness  to  the  humane  and  benevolent  disposition 
which  distinguished  the  life  of  this  brave  man.  One  oc- 
curred at  an  early  stage  of  the  invasion  of  Charleston. 

There  was  a  cartel  ship  lying  in  the  stream,  not  far 
from  his  frigate,  which  was  moored  in  "  Rebellion  Road," 
so  called,  below  Fort  Moultrie.  In  this  vessel  was  a  load 
of  prisoners,  some  captives  in  battle  ready  for  an  ex- 
change, and  others  refugees  or  tories  who  had  been  sen- 
tenced to  exile,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  waiting  a  passage 
to  England.  While  they  were  in  this  situation,  an  eastern 
storm  arose  ;  and  such  was  the  violence  of  the  wind  and 
waves,  that  the  ship  was  in  great  peril  of  foundering  at 
her  moorings,  before  the  eyes  of  spectators  on  shore. 
Captain  Tucker  saw  their  dangerous  situation,  and  exerted 
himself  to  relieve  them;  but  his  efforts  were  vain;  he 
could  give  them  no  immediate  help.  In  the  following 
letter  he  expresses  his  sympathy,  after  their  escape  from 
destruction. 

BOSTON  FRIGATE,  > 
February  24,  1780.      5 

LADIES  AND  GENTLEMEN  :  I  received  your  melancholy 
manuscript  by  the  hand  of  Mr.  Devol,  the  gentleman  who 
removed  the  flag,  and  am  exceedingly  sorry  to  hear  of 


1^2  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

your  situation,  and  could  wish  you,  in  your  present  dis- 
tress, to  be  under  my  immediate  command,  where  I 
should  strive  to  convince  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  the 
principles  of  humanity,  although  we  may  be  separated  by 
the  present  contest.  I  think,  with  yourselves,  that  humane 
principles  never  ought  to  be  eradicated.  I  assure  you, 
both  ladies  and  gentlemen,  I  sympathize  with  you.  I 
have  mentioned  the  matter  to  the  commanding  officer  of 
the  navy  in  this  department.  When  I  left  the  town  on 
Tuesday  last,  had  I  known  you  had  been  just  so  situated,  I 
should  have  come  on  board  the  Flag  and  relieved  you,  if 
possible.  Gentlemen,  I  cannot  describe  my  wishes  toward 
you  yesterday,  when  I  beheld  you  in  that  distress,  my 
boats  having  broke  their  mooring,  all  except  the  pinnace, 
which  was  on  the  booms,  and  the  wind  being  so  exceed- 
ingly high,  I  thought  it  impossible  to  send  her  to  you  in 
safety.  I  am  exceedingly  happy  to  send  you  some  relief, 
while  I  remain,  with  sincerity, 

Your  friend,  while  it  is  in  my  power, 

SAMUEL  TUCKER. 

To  which  the  reply  was  this :  — 

ON  BOARD  THE  CARTEL,  ) 
24th  of  February,  1780.          5 

SIR  :  We  received  your  favor  by  the  hands  of  Mr. 
Devol.  Your  benevolent  and  generous  attention  calls 
forth  our  sincere  acknowledgments.  We  acknowledge 
the  receipt  of  other  favors,  can  assure  you  that  we  shall 
ever  have  a  grateful  remembrance  of  them,  and  must 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER.  143 

conclude  with  thanking  you  for  your  friendly  assurance. 
We  remain,  sir, 

Your  much  obliged  and  very  humble  servants, 

JOHN  MORRIS, 
For  self  and  prisoners  on  board  the  cartel. 

Perhaps  the  above  incident,  and  the  letters  touching  the 
same,  may  seem  of  trifling  import  in  the  life  of  a  naval 
oflicer ;  for  Mr.  Morris  and  all  the  cartel  prisoners  have 
long  since  passed  away  from  the  storms  and  sorrows  of  this 
life,  and  are  forgotten  ;  but  there  is  a  world  where  the 
deeds  of  the  good  Samaritan  are  remembered  forever. 

As  the  meritorious  services  of  Commodore  Whipple,  in 
some  accounts  of  the  siege  of  Charleston,  have  not  been 
appreciated,  a  recurrence  to  the  foregoing  facts  may  do 
him  justice,  and  prevent  a  misapprehension  of  the  part 
which  he  took  in  the  defence. 

In  the  Pictorial  Field-Book  of  the  Revolution,  by 
Benson  J.  Lossing,  Esq.,  —  a  work  written  with  much 
ability,  and  generally  with  much  candor,  —  are  the  follow- 
ing paragraphs  (Vol.  II.  p.  764)  :  "  The  little  flotilla  of 
Commodore  Whipple,  then  in  the  harbor,  was  ordered  to 
oppose  the  passage  of  the  British  fleet  over  the  bar ;  but 
his  vessels  were  small  and  thinly  manned,  and  little  re- 
liance could  be  placed  upon  them. 

"  Pinckney  hoped  that  Whipple  would  retard  the 
British  vessels,  and  allow  him  to  batter  them,  as  Moultrie 
did  four  years  before  ;  but  the  commodore,  with  prudent 
caution,  retreated  to  the  mouth  of  the  Cooper  River,  and 
sunk  most  of  his  own,  and  some  merchant  vessels,  between 


TyM  LIFE   OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

the  town  and  Shute's  Folly,  and  thus  formed  an  effectual 
bar  to  the  passage  of  the  British  vessels  up  to  the  channel 
to  rake  the  American  works  upon  the  Neck." 

In  the  first  place,  flotilla  is  defined  to  be  a  fleet  of  small 
vessels  ;  and  three  of  the  ships  under  Commodore  Whipple 
were  frigates.  The  "  little  flotilla  "  mentioned  in  humil- 
iating terms  by  this  fascinating  historian  is  very  different- 
ly described  by  the  enemy  in  March,  178°}  who  remarks, 
"  The  following  rebel  frigates  blocked  up  in  Charleston 
harbor,  and  must  abide  the  fate  of  the  garrison  —  Provi- 
dence, thirty  guns,  Captain  Whipple;  Boston,  thirty, 
Tucker ;  Queen  of  France,  twenty,  Rathburne ;  and 
Ranger,  ten,  Simpson." 

Secondly.  It  has  been  stated,  and  proved  already  in  the 
official  correspondence,  why  the-  passage  of  the  British 
fleet  was  not  and  could  not  be  prevented  by  Commodore 
Whipple's  squadron.  A  council  of  captains  and  pilots 
was  summoned :  they  met  in  consultation,  and  made 
their  report  —  that,  from  the  shallowness  of  the  channel, 
exposure  to  east  winds  and  bad  anchorage  ground,  the 
attempt  would  be  impracticable.  Governor  Pinckney,  if 
he  made  the  remark,  or  "  hoped  that  Whipple  could 
retard  the  British  fleet,"  among  these  treacherous  sands, 
and  exposed  to  the  fury  of  the  winds,  must  have  forgotten 
that  this  spot  was  not  Fort  Moultrie,  on  a  fast-anchored 
island.  There  is  an  inconsistency,  too,  in  the  statement ; 
for  if  this  squadron  was  indeed  only  "  a  little  flotilla,"  the 
first  broadside  of  a  British  seventy-four  would  have  blown 
them  all  to  pieces.  Commodore  Whipple  was  one  of  our 
first  and  bravest  naval  officers  in  the  Revolution,  one  of 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  145 

the  earliest  commanders  in  our  little  intrepid  navy,  and, 
let  me  add,  the  one  who  fired  the  first  gun  on  the  water 
in  defiance  against  haughty  England.  His  reputation  is 
dear  to  his  country  through  all  generations.  He  has  left 
an  imperishable  character  in  her  annals.  If,  on  this  oc- 
casion, "  a  prudent  caution  "  prevailed  in  his  measures,  it 
was  a  noble,  glorious  caution — it  was  to  prevent  the 
heedless  and  wanton  sacrifice  of  the  brave  men  under  his 
command. 

A  much  more  just  and  liberal  view  of  this  affair  is 
exhibited  in  Marshall's  Life  of  Washington  (Vol.  I.  p. 
332)  :  "  On  sounding  within  the  bar,  it  was  discovered  that 
the  water  was  too  shallow  for  the  frigates  to  act  with 
any  effect,  and  that  in  making  the  attempt  they  would  be 
exposed  to  the  fire  of  the  battery,  which  the  assailants  had 
erected.  Under  these  circumstances,  the  officers  of  the 
navy  were  unanimously  of  opinion  that  no  successful  op- 
position could  be  made  at  the  bar,  and  that  the  fleet  might 
move  advantageously  in  concert  with  trie  fort  at  Sullivan's 
Island." 

Again,  Mr.  Lossing  is  mistaken  with  regard  to  the  fate 
of  the  four  ships  constituting  the  squadron  commanded  by 
Commodore  Whipple.  Not  one  of  them  was  sunk  in  the 
Cooper  River ;  they  fell,  with  the  spoils  of  victory,  into 
the  hands  of  the  British,  as  already  stated.  Commodore 
\V hippie  did  all  a  patriot  could  do  in  defence  of  the  city : 
when  his  ships  were  no  longer  useful,  he  sent  ashore  his 
guns  to  arm,  and  his  marines  to  man,  the  redoubts. 

If  the  animadversions  of  Pinckney  were  just,  Captain 
Tucker  must  come  in  for  his  share  of  them.  Yet  at  least 
10 


IA$  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

his  essential  service  5n  the  demolition  of  the  "  Light- 
house," and  u  Fort  Johnson,"  under  the  guns  of  the 
enemy,  deserves  some  remembrance.  He  was  the  last  to 
strike  his  flag,  as  the  following  anecdote  will  evince : 
When  a  special  order  from  the  admiral  was  sent  to  the 
commander  of  the  frigate  Boston,  to  strike  his  flag, 
Tucker  replied,  "  I  do  not  think  much  of  striking  my 
flag  to  your  present  force,  for  I  have  struck  more  of  your 
flags  than  are  now  flying  in  this  harbor." 


'47 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

CRUISES  AND  CAPTURES  IN  THE  THORN,  UNTIL  SHE  WAS 
TAKEN  BY  THE  HlND,  AND  TUCKER'S  ESCAPE  FROM 
ST.  JOHN'S. 

IMMEDIATELY  after  he  had  given  his  parole,  he  left 
Charleston,  and  hastened  back  to  Boston,  where  he 
arrived  on  the  26th  of  June.  Four  of  the  best  American 
frigates  had  been  surrendered  to  the  enemy  in  the  capitula- 
tion ;  and  even  if  he  had  been  free,  there  was  no  armed  ship 
then  unemployed  for  him  to  command.  He  applied,  how- 
ever, for  an  exchange  with  Captain  William  Wardlow, 
whom  he  took  prisoner  when  he  captured  his  sloop  of  war, 
the  Thorn,  twelve  months  ago.  This  was  effected,  and,  on 
being  liberated,  Captain  Tucker  obtained  the  command 
of  that  vessel.  He  was  anxious  to  be  in  action,  and  again 
to  cruise,  as  he  remarked,  against  the  enemies  of  his 
country.  Whether  this  sloop  of  war  was  then  fitted  out 
by  the  Marine  Board,  or  by  individuals  as  a  private 
armed  ship,  does  not  appear,  although  she  went  out  next 
year  in  the  latter  capacity,  as  is  manifest  from  the  papers 
of  the  deceased. 

Once  more  on  the  high  seas,  he  was  himself  again,  the 

* 

starry  flag  waving  over  his  head.     The  Thorn,  a  sloop  of 
war,  mounted  sixteen,  some  said  eighteen  guns ;  her  deck 


1^8  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

was  to  him  a  field  of  fame ;  and  with  her  he  reaped  a 
harvest  of  prizes,  and  fought  several  sanguinary  battles, 
with  equal  and  sometimes  superior  force.  He  often 
described  them,  in  the  most  thrilling  narratives,  to  his 
friends  and  neighbors,  when  he  was  dwelling  in  a  cottage 
in  the  woods  of  Bremen,  in  the  care  of  his  glebe,  his 
pauca  jngera.  Several  of  them  have  been  perserved  from 
oblivion  ;  one,  in  particular,  comes  from  the  reminiscences 
of  an  aged  mariner,  who  died  a  few  years  since,  who  was 
with  Captain  Tucker,  and  took  a  part  in  the  engagement 
he  described.  It  was  written  down  from  his  dictation, 
and  may  be  relied  upon  as  authentic,  as  the  narrator  was 
an  industrious  and  religious  citizen,  much  respected  by 
his  neighbors. 

This  aged  marine,  who  enlisted  under  Tucker,  in  the 
Thorn,  during  her  numerous  cruises  in  1780,  and  until 
she  was  captured  in  August,  1781,  was  Josiah  Everett. 
Mr.  Everett  was  in  the  army  at  Cambridge,  and  the  regi- 
ment to  which  he  belonged  was  stationed,  bv  General 
Washington,  on  Dorchester  Heights  ;  and  after  the  evacua- 
tion of  Boston,  he  was  in  the  glorious  battle  of  Saratoga, 
where  General  Burgoyne  surrendered.  At  the  close  of 
the  Revolutionary  war,  he  emigrated  to  the  District  of 
Maine,  and  resided  in  Farmington,  from  which  he  finallv 
removed  to  New  Portland,  where  he  cultivated  a  farm 
until  his  death  —  nearly  twenty  years  ago.  The  author 
made  inquiry  about  him,  some  time  since,  in  a  letter  to  the 
postmaster  of  New  Portland,  who  gave  him  an  excellent 
character  as  an  industrious,  upright  man.  The  account 
he  related  of  one  of  Tucker's  cruises  is  as  follows  :  — 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER.  149 

He  shipped,  as  a  marine,  on  board  the  Thorn,  in  1780. 
She  was  a  new  vessel,  copper  bottomed,  and  carried 
eighteen  guns.  Her  crew  was  composed  of  eighty-one 
men  and  eighteen  boys.  She  had  been  cruising  about 
three  weeks,  when  they  fell  in  with  the  Lord  Hyde,  an 
English  packet  of  twenty-two  guns  and  one  hundred 
men.  Not  long  after  she  was  discovered,  the  commodore 
called  up  his  crew  and  said,  "  She  means  to  fight  us ;  and 
if  \ve  go  alongside  like  men,  she  is  ours  in  thirty  minutes ; 
but  if  we  can't  go  as  men^  we  have  no  business  here."  He 
then  told  them  he  wanted  no  cowards  on  deck,  and 
requested  those  who  were  willing  to  fight  to  go  down  the 
starboard,  and  those  who  were  unwilling,  the  larboard 
gangway.  Every  man  and  boy  took  the  first,  signifying 
his  readiness  to  meet  the  enemy. 

As  Mr.  Everett  was  passing  by,  the  commodore  asked 
him,  — 

"  Are  you  willing  to  go  alongside  of  her?" 

"  Yes,  sir,"  was  the  reply. 

In  mentioning  this  conversation,  however,  Mr.  Everett 
candidly  confessed,  "  I  did  not  tell  him  the  truth,  for  I 
would  rather  have  been  in  my  father's  cornfield." 

After  the  commanders  of  these  two  vessels,  as  they  drew 
near,  had  hailed  each  other  in  the  customary  way  when 
ships  meet  at  sea,  the  captain  of  the  English  packet  cried 
out  roughly,  from  the  quarter  deck,  — 

"  Haul  down  your  colors,  or  I'll  sink  you." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir,  directly,"  replied  Tucker,  calmly  and 
complaisantly  ;  and  he  then  ordered  the  helmsman  to  steer 
the  Thorn  right  under  the  stern  of  the  packet,  luff"  up 


I'O  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

under  her  lee-quarters,  and  range  alongside  her.  The 
order  was  promptly  executed.  The  two  vessels  were  laid 
side  by  side  within  pistol-shot  of  each  other.  While  the 
Thorn  was  getting  into  position,  the  enemy  fired  a  full 
broadside  at  her,  which  did  but  little  damage.  As  soon 
as  she  was  brought  completely  alongside  her  adversary, 
Tucker  thundered  out  to  his  men  to  fire  ;  and  a  tremen- 
dous discharge  followed,  and.  as  good  aim  had  been  taken, 
a  dreadful  carnage  was  seen  in  that  ill-fated  vessel.  It 
was  rapidly  succeeded  by  a  fresh  volley  of  artillery,  and 
in  twenty-seven  minutes  a  piercing  cry  was  heard  from 
the  English  vessel  —  "  Quarters,  for  God's  sake  !  Our  ship 
is  sinking.  Our  men  are  dying  of  their  wounds."  To 
this  heart-rending  appeal  Commodore  Tucker  exclaimed, 
"  How  can  you  expect  quarters  while  that  British  flag 
is  flying?"  The  sad  answer  came  back,  "  Our  halliards 
are  shot  away."  "  Then  cut  away  your  ensign-staff, 
or  ye'll  all  be  dead  men."  It  was  done  immediately  : 
down  came  the  colors,  the  din  of  cannonading  ceased, 
and  only  the  groans  of  the  wounded  and  dying  were 
heard. 

Fifteen  men,  with  carpenters,  surgeon,  and  their  leader, 
were  quickly  on  the  deck  of  the  prize.  Thirty-four  of 
her  crew,  with  the  captain,  were  either  killed  or  wounded. 
Her  decks  were  besmeared  with  blood,  and  in  some  places 
it  stood  in  clotted  masses  to  the  tops  of  the  sailors'  slippers. 
The  gloomy  but  needful  work  of  amputating  limbs  and 
laying  out  the  dead  was  commenced,  and  every  eflbrt 
was  made  to  render  the  wounded  prisoners  as  comfortable 
as  possible. 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  151 

The  first  question  Commodore  Tucker  asked,  as  soon 
as  his  lieutenant  had  taken  possession  of  the  prize,  was, 
'•'•  What  damage  is  done  in  the  action  ?  "  It  was  answered, 
"  Thirty  men  were  killed  or  wounded,  and  three  shots 
hit  between  wind  and  water."  He  looked  thoughtful,  and 
being  a  man  of  very  humane  and  tender  feelings,  he  said 
to  Mr.  Everett  and  those  around  him,  "  Would  to  God  I 
had  never  seen  her !  "  Alas  !  how  seldom  do  the  benev- 
olent feelings  in  warriors  and  men  of  blood  rise  above  the 
pride  of  victory,  and  turn  with  disgust  from  the  barbarous 
scenes  of  battle  ! 

Such  is  the  brief  story  of  a  bloody  engagement.  The 
particulars,  if  not  the  whole,  would  have  been  lost,  if  an 
intelligent  listener  had  not  committed  to  writing  the  rela- 
tion by  Mr.  Everett.  This  is,  perhaps,  the  battle  referred 
to,  in  Felt's  Annals  of  Salem,  a  work  of  much  accuracy, 
written  by  an  observer  and  preserver  of  facts.  This  is 
the  paragraph  :  — 

"  1781,  June  7.  S.  Thorn,  C.  Samuel  Tucker,  oc- 
casionally mentioned  as  arriving  in  other  ports,  but  more 
often  as  of  Salem,  had  fought  with  a  packet  two  gl. 
[two  hours],  and  taken  her.  The  prize  had  four  killed, 
and  fourteen  wounded.  Joseph  Lynd,  the  lieutenant  of 
the  Thorn,  died  of  wounds  after  he  reached  home."  — 
Vol.  II.  p.  272. 

There  is  no  certainty,  however,  that  this  is  the  same 
prize  described  by  Everett,  as  he  mentions  no  date  —  a 
circumstance  often  noticed  in  men  who  keep  no  minutes : 
they  are  seldom  precise  in  the  time  of  any  transaction. 

Or  it  may  have  been  the  armed  vessel  referred  to  in 


1^2  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

the  Independent  Ledger  of  April  16,  1781,  wherein  is  this 
memorandum  of  news :  "  Yesterday,  sevennight,  arrived 
at  Newbury  the  privateer  ship  Thorn,  Captain  Tucker, 
having  captured  a  second  prize,  viz.,  a  ship  from  Liver- 
pool, bound  to  Charleston,  mounting  sixteen  six-pounders  ; 
her  cargo  consists  of  wine,  brandy,  dry  goods,  &c." 

The  prize  Lord  Hyde,  of  which  Mr.  Everett  gave  an 
account,  describing  the  engagement,  arrived  safe  in  port, 
he  having  been  detailed  as  one  of  the  detachment  under 
the  prize-master  to  take  charge  of  her.  He  speaks  of  the 
prisoners  as  a  "  Christian  crew,"  for  they  were  steady 
and  held  prayer-meetings  in  the  fore-steerage.  What  a 
comment  is  this  humble,  heart-touching  incident  on  the 
horrors  of  war!  In  the  mean  time  he  remarked  that  the 
Thorn  had  captured  another  prize  of  sixteen  guns,  which 
was  sent  home.  From  the  fruits  of  this  cruise  Mr.  Everett 
observed  that  his  share  of  the  prize-money  amounted  to 
fifteen  hundred  dollars. 

In  the  Pennsylvania  Packet,  a  newspaper  published  in 
Philadelphia,  1776-1783,  there  is  a  notice  of  another 
armed  vessel  taken  by  Tucker:  "March  27,  1781.  Last 
Friday  arrived  at  Searsport  a  packet  from  Jamaica,  bound 
to  London,  captured  by  ship  Thorn,  Captain  Tucker, 
who  engaged  her  two  glasses  [hours],  during  which 
the  packet  had  four  men  killed,  and  fourteen  wounded. 
The  Thorn  had  not  a  single  man  hurt."  And  same 
newspaper  also  notices  the  prize  as  a  second  prize,  as 
stated  in  the  Independent  Ledger  of  April  16,  1781. 

In  the  Boston  Gazette  of  June  n,  1781,  there  is  also  a 
reference  to  captures  made  by  the  Thorn.  "  Since  our 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  153 

last,  the  Thorn,  Captain  Tucker,  has  returned  into  Salem, 
after  a  cruise  of  ten  days,  to  land  his  prisoners,  having 
taken  three  prizes,  viz.,  a  sloop  from  St.  Eustatia,  bound 
to  Halifax  ;  a  letter  of  marque  brig  of  fourteen  guns,  bound 
from  Antigua  for  Quebec,  laden  with  rum  and  molasses  ; 
and  has  retaken  a  prize,  being  the  snow  taken  by  the 
Alliance  above  mentioned,  with  three  hundred  hogsheads 
of  sugar,  all  which  arrived  in  port." 

The  Thorn  had  been  out  of  port  on  another  cruise  but 
a  short  time,  when  Commodore  Tucker  took  a  small 
prize,  from  which  he  ascertained  that  she  was  one  of  an 
English  fleet  under  convoy,  bound  to  Halifax.  The 
convoy  consisted  of  the  Elizabeth,  twenty  guns,  the  brig 
Observer,  sixteen,  and  the  sloop  of  war  Howe,  of  four- 
teen ;  and  there  were  two  vessels  under  their  protection 
with  very  valuable  cargoes.  With  this  information  he 
determined,  he  said,  to  u  make  capital,"  and  directly 
aimed  to  intercept  them.  He  steered  under  full  sail  where 
he  conjectured  they  were,  and  as  they  hove  in  sight  he 
hoisted  English  colors,  and  boldly  sailed  into  the  midst  of 
them.  Coming  up  with  the  heaviest  armed  ship,  he  hailed 
her,  and  inquired  if  she  were  the  Elizabeth  from  Antigua, 
bound  to  Halifax.  On  hearing  it  was  so,  he  expressed 
his  joy.  He  also  hailed  the  Observer,  and  made  friendly 
inquiries  of  the  like  kind  ;  and  when  questioned,  he  in- 
formed them  he  was  the  Thorn,  taken  from  the  rebels  a 
few  weeks  ago,  now  from  New  York,  and  told  them  the 
news,  while  they  were  sailing  on  without  suspicion,  trust- 
ing to  his  peaceable  appearance. 

Stratagem  in  war  has  usually  been  justified  by  historians, 


154  L'FE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

and  has  been  resorted  to  in  all  ages.  It  certainly  is  more 
honorable  than  the  low  cunning  and  intriguing  artifice 
too  often  the  resort  of  aspiring  politicians.  If  it  is  right, 
however,  to  deceive  an  enemy  in  war,  —  which  Jefferson 
defines  as  a  state  of  society  where  each  nation  tries  to  do 
its  adversary  the  most  harm,  —  then  falsehood  and  decep- 
tion may  seem  a  high  accomplishment  in  a  commanding 
officer  —  but  only  in  time  of  war. 

Having  previously  selected  thirty  of  his  most  reliable 
men  for  boarding  the  Elizabeth,  arranged  his  signals,  and 
explained  his  plan  of  attack  to  them  and  the  helmsman, 
Captain  Tucker,  by  degrees  and  warily,  placed  the  Thorn 
in  a  narrow  space  between  the  Elizabeth  and  the  brig, 
and  then,  as  if  by  accident,  run  afoul  of  the  Elizabeth's 
yards,  and,  pretending  to  find  fault  with  the  helmsman, 
ordered  him  to  brace  about,  while  he  —  who  had  his  les- 
son—  only  entangled  the  vessels  more  and  more,  so  that 
they  were  now  in  close  contact. 

Seeing  all  was  ready,  Tucker  hauled  down  his  English 
colors,  hoisted  the  American,  and  then  gave  orders  to  fire 
a  broadside.  Both  vessels  fired  at  the  same  time.  The 
moment  the  terrible  roar  of  artillery  ceased,  the  thirty 
picked  men,  of  whom  Everett  was  one,  followed  the 
lieutenant,  and  boarded  her.  In  this  attempt  the  lieuten- 
ant was  shot,  and  Everett,  who  was  next  to  him,  seeing 
him  fall,  fired  his  boarding  pistol  at  the  assailant,  and 
missing  him,  he  threw  his  pistol  at  him.  They  soon  got 
possession  of  the  deck,  drove  the  crew  below,  and  hauled 
down  the  colors. 

The  movements  on  board  the  brig  Observer  indicated 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER.  155 

an  immediate  attack  of  the  Thorn.  But  Tucker  told 
them,  in  his  thundering  voice,  he  was  ready  if  they 
were,  and  ordered  his  men  to  board  her,  when  she  sailed 
away. 

The  sloop  of  war  Howe  then  ranged  alongside  the 
Thorn  and  fired,  upon  which  Tucker  exclaimed,  "  Cap- 
tain Forson,  if  you  fire  another  broadside  I'll  blow  you 
out  of  the  water."  The  captain  of  the  sloop  thought  it 
prudent  to  be  off.  Mr.  Everett  remarked  that  the  whole 
seemed  the  work  of  a  moment.  The  Thorn  had  nine 
men  killed  and  fourteen  wounded,  and  it  was  said  the 
enemy's  loss  was  similar. 

The  Elizabeth  and  a  large  vessel  laden  with  sugar, 
taken  in  a  nine  days'  cruise,  arrived  safe  in  port.  The 
prize-money  amounted  to  about  the  same  sum  as  the  last 
cruise  produced. 

Such  is  the  statement  made  by  one  of  the  marines 
concerning  two  battles  on  the  sea  in  which  he  was 
present,  in  one  case  with  an  equal ;  in  the  other  the  vessel 
was  superior  in  force  to  the  Thorn. 

The  Independent  Ledger  of  June  n,  1781,  may  have 
had  reference  to  the  last  cruise,  viz.,  "  Thursday  last  ar- 
rived at  Salem,  from  a  cruise  of  about  ten  days,  the  ship 
Thorn,  Captain  Tucker,  having  captured  four  prizes, 
some  of  which  arrived  the  preceding  day;  the  others 
(Jamaica-men)  he  carried  with  him.  One  of  the  latter 
was  a  prize  of  the  Alliance,  which  had  been  retaken  by  a 
British  letter  of  marque  ship  of  twenty  guns,  and  then 
under  convoy.  Captain  Tucker,  by  stratagem,  boarded 
the  ship,  by  which  few  lives  were  lost,  and  the  prize 


IC|6  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

recovered."  This  tends  to  confirm  the  narration  of  Mr. 
Everett. 

A  description  of  the  engagement  and  capture  of  the 
Elizabeth  was  given  by  Captain  Weston,  an  aged  citizen 
of  Bremen,  to  the  author  when  he  was  on  a  visit  there, 
which  in  some  particulars  varies  from  Mr.  Everett's,  and 
yet  does  not  contradict  it  in  any  essential  point.  It  may 
be  compared  to  viewing  an  object  from  a  different  stand- 
point. 

Captain  Tucker,  in  the  summer  of  1781,  went  on  board 
the  Thorn,  lying  in  Salem  harbor,  and  wishing  to  remain 
at  home  the  next  cruise,  proposed  that  Lieutenant  John- 
son should  take  the  command,  and  go  out  in  his  place  ; 
but  the  crew  were  unwilling,  and  refused  to  sail  in  her 
unless  Tucker  went  with  them.  He  was  obliged  to  con- 
sent, and  they  left  Salem  at  dawn  of  day  with  a  fair  wind, 
and  were  not  many  days  at  sea  before  they  retook  an 
American  vessel  on  her  way  to  St.  John's,  which  had 
been  captured  by  Captain  Glover,  commander  of  an 
enemy's  ship,  the  name  forgotten  by  the  narrator.  From 
the  crew  of  the  vessel  he  was  informed  that  the  Elizabeth, 
of  twenty  guns  and  seventy-five  men,  with  two  smaller 
armed  ships,  were  convoying  the  Jamaica  fleet  to  Halifax. 
-He  shaped  his  course  accordingly,  pressed  sail,  and  soon 
came  up  with  her.  Then  he  called  his  men  together,  told 
them  his  plan,  —  which  was  to  get  alongside  and  board 
her,  —  and  put  his  brother  William  to  the  helm.  Then  he 
hoisted  English  colors,  sailed  up  close  to  her,  and  hailed 
her.  The  English  captain  cried  out.  "  You  keep  too  close 
to  me."  The  commodore  then  swore  at  his  helmsman, 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  157 

and  told  him  to  luff — but  meaning  the  contrary,  as  was 
understood.  As  soon  as  he  got  the  Thorn  in  the  position 
he  wished,  he  hauled  down  the  English  and  hoisted 
American  colors,  and  each  vessel  fired  a  broadside. 
Tucker  then  grappled  and  boarded  her.  He  headed  his 
boarders,  and  sprung  over,  the  taffrail ;  and  the  English 
captain,  Timothy  Pine,  aimed  a  blow  at  his  head,  which 
Tucker  warded  off,  and  broke  his  own  sword  in  giving 
him  a  ghastly  wound  over  his  forehead.  The  crew  were 
driven  below,  the  halliards  of  the  flag  cut  down,  and  the 
Elizabeth  was  taken.  The  English  captain  soon  after 
died  of  his  wound. 

Some  idea  of  his  naval  success,  and  of  the  value  and 
variety  of  the  exploits  of  Tucker  during  his  frequent 
cruises  in  the  Thorn  may  be  got  from  the  accounts  current 
between  him  and  his  agents,  William  R.  Lee  &  Co.  In 
those  of  April  and  June,  it  appears  he  made  five  cruises 
—  and  it  was  so  stated  byjosiah  Everett,  above  named  —  in 
this  sloop  of  war,  and  each  time  was  very  successful.  In 
one  of  the  accounts  credit  is  given  for  the  sales  of  four 
prizes,  viz.,  the  Aurora,  Success,  Sincerity,  and  Biddy,  and 
in  another,  those  of  the  sloop  Maria,  the  snow  Fly,  and 
the  ship  Elizabeth  are  specified.  The  number  and  names 
of  a  large  part  of  his  captures,  the  time  when  each  prize 
was  taken,  and  a  description  of  the  battles  with  armed 
vessels,  were  drawn  up  by  the  commodore  himself,  and 
had  often  been  se.en  by  Colonel  Hinds,  before  the  memo- 
randum was  lost.  There  was  never  a  finer  opportunity, 
if  there  be  any  truth  or  reality  in  the  power  of  the  spirit 
rappers  to  disclose  the  long-buried  secrets  of  the  past,  — 


158  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

for  we  live  in  an  age  of  three  millions,  it  is  said,  of  be- 
lievers in  this  supernatural  power,  —  than  the  present  to 
summon  our  naval  hero  before  the  tribunal  of  history,  and 
get  a  plain,  unvarnished  statement  of  every  particular. 
Let  him  who  will  dare  make  the  experiment.  We  have 
no  faith  in  such  attempts. 

The  newspapers  of  that  period  in  the  Revolution  have 
furnished  numerous  facts,  and  no  small  evidence,  of  his 
success  and  intrepidity  ;  but  they  give  but  a  meagre  ac- 
count at  the  best,  and  we  must  3-ely,  in  some  degree,  on 
his  conversations  at  sundry  times  with  his  friends,  and  on 
traditionary  information.  We  learn  from  Captain  Weston, 
—  to  whom  reference  has  already  been  made, —  that,  in  the 
sloop  of  war  Thorn,  of  only  eighteen  guns,  Commodore 
Tucker  made,  in  all,  jz/?z£  cruises',  that  in  the  last  one  he 
took  nine  prizes,  worth  nine  thousand  dollars,  and  the  last 
time  was  out  at  sea  nine  days ;  and  that  the  sailors  always 
called  it  the  "  cruise  of  the  nine"  It  is  acknowledged 
in  the  "Remembrancer"  of  that  year,  that  England  lost 
an  immense  number  of  her  merchantmen  and  armed 
vessels.  This  fact  must  have  much  weight  in  the 
scale  of  evidence. 

After  his  return  home  from  Charleston,  it  is  probable 
that  he  spent  some  time  with  his  family  before  an  ex- 
change was  effected  with  Captain  Wardlow,  since  the 
papers  of  that  day  do  not  speak  of  the  arrival  of  his  prizes 
before  1781.  There  is  reason  to  suppose  he  got  to  sea 
towards  the  close  of  1780,  for  in  January  following  he 
obtained  leave  of  absence,  as  these  documents  will 
show. 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  159 

NAVY  BOARD,  EASTERN  DEPARTMENT,  > 
BOSTON,  January  20,  1781.      j 

Samuel  Tucker,  Esq.,  Captain  in  the  American  Navy, 
at  his  own  request  has  leave  of  absence  for  six  months  to 
cruise  against  the  enemy  in  private  service. 

WM.  VERNON, 
JNO.  DISIION. 

NAVY  BOARD,  EASTERN  DEPARTMENT,  ) 
BOSTON,  May  23,  1781.      ) 

Samuel  Tucker,  Esq.,  Commander  in  the  Continental 
Navy,  has  leave  of  absence  to  go  a  cruise  against  the 

enemies  of  the  United  States. 

WM.  VERNON, 

JNO.  DISHON. 

The  Thorn  was  consequently  engaged  as  a  privateer, 
and  fitted  out  on  shares  by  a  company ;  for  on  the  ipth  of 
April,  1781,  Elbridge  Gerry,  Esq.,  was  interested  in  her, 
and  wrote  to  Captain  Tucker  about  disposing  of  some 
prizes  —  "  as  we  have  each  of  us  two  thirtieths  of  the 
Thorn."  William  R.  Lee  &  Co.,  of  Marblehead,  were 
their  general  agents,  as  by  his  letter  of  January,  1781,  will 
appear. 

MARBLEHEAD,  January  20,  1781. 

CAPTAIN  SAMUEL  TUCKER. 

SIR  :  The  ship  Thorn,  under  your  command,  being 
ready  for  sea,  we  desire  you  would  embrace  the  present 


l6o  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

favorable  wind  and  proceed  upon  your  cruise.  And  we 
would  recommend  you  to  proceed  to  the  southward  and 
eastward  of  the  Grand  Bank,  and  cross  the  latitudes  — 
where  you  will  be  in  the  train  of  vessels  bound  to  and  from 
Europe  and  the  West  Indies.  But  if  you  should  not  be  so 
fortunate  as  to  make  any  capture  upon  your  excursion  out, 
you  will  return  by  that  route  which  promises  most  success, 
according  as  your  own  judgment  or  any  vessels  you  may 
chance  to  speak  may  direct. 

All  the  prizes  which  you  may  be  so  fortunate  as  to 
capture  you  will  order  to  Newrburyport,  to  the  care  of 
Captain  Samuel  Newhall ;  and  on  your  return  from  your 
cruise,  you  will  proceed  there  with  your  ship,  and  deliver 
her  to  the  said  Captain  Newhall. 

You  will  give  your  prize-masters  directions  to  hoist 
your  signal  off  of  Newburyport  for  a  pilot,  and  will  hoist 
it  yourself  for  the  same  purpose  when  you  arrive  there 
with  the  Thorn. 

All  the  letters,  invoices,  and  public  papers  which  you 
may  find  on  board  any  prizes  you  may  capture,  pray  for- 
ward by  the  prizes.  You  will  strictly  comply  with  all  the 
orders  contained  in  your  commission.  Relying  on  your 
experience,  spirit,  and  discretion,  we  wish  you  the  reward 
which  those  qualities  deserve,  and  are. 

Your  friends  and  agents, 

WILL.  R.  LEE  &  Co. 

There  is  an  ebb  in  the  current  of  fortune,  as  well  as  in 
the  deep.  The  neap  tides  often  follow  the  highest  flood 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER.  l6l 

of  prosperity.  Commodore  Tucker  set  out  on  another 
cruise —  reported  to  be  his  tenth  —  in  his  favorite  Thorn, 
bringing  to  mind  the  old  Roman  adage  of  Ovid, — 

Vaftius  insurgens  decimce  ruit  impetus  unda. 
The  tenth  wave  surged. 

It  was  in  the  latter  part  of  July  that  he  sailed  once 
more,  and  for  the  last  time,  with  a  propitious  breeze,  to 
the  north-east,  scouring  the  horizon  with  his  spy-glass  for 
some  distant  speck  of  a  prize.  Nor  was  it  long  before  the 
British  ship  Hind,  a  heavy  frigate,  hove  in  sight ;  and  the 
Thorn  fell  a  sacrifice  to  her  powerful  foe.  Whether  there 
was  a  gun  fired,  or  any  resistance,  there  are  now  no  means 
of  knowing.  She  was  captured  near  the  mouth  of  the  St. 
Lawrence,  and  the  captain  and  crew,  consisting  of  eighty- 
three  men,  among  whom  was  Everett,  were  soon  after 
landed  at  the  Island  of  St.  John's,  now  Prince  Edward 
Island,  to  be  conveyed  to  Halifax. 

The  Thorn,  however,  was  recaptured  afterwards  by  the 
French  frigates  Hermione  and  L'Astrea,  as  appears  by  a 
paragraph  in  the  Independent  Ledger  of  August  6,  1781. 
"  Friday  last  arrived  the  privateer  Thorn.  .  .  .  The  Thorn 
lately  sailed  from  this  port,  commanded  by  Captain 
Tucker,  and  had  been  captured  by  the  British  frigate 
Hind,  five  days  previous  to  her  falling  in  with  the  above 
frigates."  The  Boston  Gazette  of  the  same  date  also 
contains  a  similar  notice,  written  evidently  with  some 
acerbity ;  for  the  editor  remarks,  that  the  Thorn  was 
captured  "  by  his  tyrannic  majesty's  sloop  of  war,"  and 
II 


1 62  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

then  was  recaptured   "  by  his   Most  Christian  majesty's 
frigates  from  Rhode  Island." 

O 

After  the  prisoners  were  landed  at  the  Island  of  St. 
John's,  Commodore  Tucker,  with  Dr.  Ramsay  and  the 
officers  of  the  Thorn,  W7ere  furnished  with  an  open  boat 
for  the  purpose  of  being  carried  to  Halifax.  St.  John's 
lies  at  the  entrance  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  the  capital  of 
which  is  Charlottestown.  They  left  this  place,  and  instead 
of  coasting  along  the  shore  and  steering  directly  for  Hali- 
fax, to  which  they  were  sent,  they  laid  their  course  across 
Massachusetts  Bay,  directly  for  Boston  —  a  daring  and 
adventurous  experiment  in  an  open  boat ;  but  Tucker 
knew  that  the  sea  is  generally  light  and  the  weather 
serene  in  the  month  of  August,  and  favored  a  safe  return. 
They  reached  home  safely  ;  and  this  bold  enterprise  is  thus 
noticed  in  the  Independent  Ledger  of  August  17  :"  Tues- 
day evening  arrived  in  town  Captain  Samuel  Tucker  and 
Dr.  Ramsay,  late  of  the  Thorn  cruiser,  having  made  their 
escape  in  an  open  boat  from  the  Island  of  St.  John's ; 
they  profess  to  have  been  humanely  used  by  Governor 
Patterson,  of  that  island,  and  by  Captain  Young,  of  the 
British  ship  Hind,  by  whom  they  were  captured,  and 
acknowledged  themselves  under  obligation  to  these  gentle- 
men for  their  civilities." 

A  complimentary  letter  from  Captain  Young,  which 
proved  eventually  of  great  service  to  Tucker,  after  his 
singular  escapade  in  the  boat,  is  here  introduced. 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  163 

To  the  Commanders  and  Officers  of  his  Majesty's  Navy. 

HIND,  CHARLOTTESTOWN,  ST.  JOHN'S,  ) 
July  26,  1781.      5 

Captain  Tucker,  formerly  commander  of  the  Boston, 
American  frigate,  and  commander  of  the  Thorn,  when 
she  was  taken  by  the  Hind,  having  treated  many  prisoners 
of  all  ranks  with  such  kindness  and  humanity  as  does 
him  great  honor,  and  entitles  him  to  every  good  return 
that  can  he  shown  him, —  I  therefore  recommend  him  to 
the  attention  and  protection  of  every  officer  of  the  navy 
whom  he  may  meet  with,  not  doubting  that  they  will  be 
pleased  to  have  an  opportunity  of  returning  to  him  that 
humanity  and  generosity  which  he  has  shown  to  manv, 
and  which  he  appears  so  well  to  deserve. 

WILLIAM  YOUNG, 
Captain  of  the  King's  Ship  Hind. 

There  is  a  mystery  resting  on  his  flight  from  St.  John's  ; 
and  it  seems,  from  the  correspondence  between  him  and 
Sir  Andrew  Hammond,  that  there  was  something  wrong. 
Among  his  papers  is  the  following,  labelled  by  Tucker 
himself,  thus :  "  My  letter  to  Sir  Andrew  Hammond, 
Halifax." 

BOSTON,  September  6,  1781. 

SIR  :  Impressed  with  a  proper  sense  of  the  very  polite 
and  humane  treatment  we  experienced  from  Sir  William 
Young  (commander  of  the  ship  Hind),  and  William 
Patterson,  Esq.,  Governor,  &c.,  of  the  Island  of  St. 


164  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

John's,  and  actuated  by  the  strictest  principles  of  honor, 
we  beg  leave  to  intrude  upon  your  patience,  while  we 
clear  up  some  matters  that  to  you  and  many  others  may 
appear  mysterious. 

On  July  7  we  we. re  unfortunately  captured  by  the  Hind, 
and  carried  into  the  above-named  island  ;  and  after  having 
received  every  civility,  we  were  indulged  in  the  privilege 
of  hiring  a  boat  and  proceeding  to  Halifax.  Though 
nothing  but  a  verbal  promise  was  required  from  myself, 
I  was,  with  the  surgeon,  determined  to  sail  to  Halifax. 
The  boat  we  sailed  in  from  St.  John's  proving  leaky,  and 
otherwise  highly  uncomfortable,  we  exchanged  her  at 
Chebucto,  paying  the  promised  price. 

At  Chebucto  we  hired  another  to  prosecute  our  des- 
tined route,  when,  by  superior  strength  of  our  first  and 
second  lieutenants,  &c.,  we  were  forced  to  steer  for  Boston. 
Resistance  was  in  vain,  and  remonstrance  disregarded. 
We  are  happy  in  the  assurance  that  this  short  narrative 
of  facts  will  take  from  us  the  imputation  of  runaways,  and 
that  the  very  polite  treatment  which  Mr.  Cox,  of  the  Hind, 
has  experienced  (and  which  his  generosity  will  induce 
him  to  acknowledge),  will  convince  mankind  that  we  are 
capable  of  the  warmest  gratitude. 

This  was  followed  by  a  kind  answer. 

HALIFAX,  3d  October,  1781. 

SIR  :  I  am  directed  by  his  Excellency  Sir  Andrew 
Hammond,  Lieutenant-Governor  of  the  Province,  to  ac- 
quaint you,  that  he  is  willing  to  think  favorably  of  your 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER.  165 

not  coming  to  Halifax  from  St.  John's ;  but  that  he  sees 
the  conduct  of  your  officers  in  a  very  different  light.  His 
Excellency,  therefore,  as  well  in  consideration  of  Captain 
Young's  testimony,  as  to  your  humane  treatment  of  your 
prisoners,  allows  of  your  continuing  at  Boston  on  parole 
until  exchanged  for  some  officer  of  equal  rank ;  but  no 
person  of  that  description  has  been  sent  in  exchange,  as 
you  intimate  in  your  letter.  I  am,  sir, 

Your  most  obedient,  humble  servant, 

H.  TRUMBULL, 

Commissary  for  Naval  Officers. 
CAPTAIN  TUCKER. 

Thus  ended  this  unpleasant  affair.     In  due  season  he 
was  exchanged,  and  his  parole  redeemed. 


i66 


CHAPTER    IX. 

His  DOMESTIC  LIFE  IN  BOSTON  AND  MARBLEHEAD. — 
MISFORTUNES  AND  PETITION  TO  GOVERNMENT  FOR  A 
COMMAND  OF  ONE  OF  THE  NEW  REVENUE  CUTTERS. 

HAVING  been  so  successful  in  his  cruises,  and  taken 
many  valuable  prizes,  Tucker  had  become  rich  ;  and 
he  removed  his  family  to  Boston.  The  precise  time  when 
this  occurred  is  uncertain  ;  but  from  a  letter  he  wrote  to 
William  R.  Lee,  dated  at  Charleston,  S.  C.,  January  20, 
1780,  it  must  have  been  in  that  year;  for  he  remarks, 
"  Be  so  kind  as  to  assist  Mrs.  Tucker  in  removing,  should 
she  request  it." 

He  occupied  a  house  in  Fleet  Street,  which  his  grand- 
son, Colonel  Hinds,  said  he  purchased.  It  was  a  three- 
story  brick  building,  with  a  cupola  and  front  yard.  In 
the  Revolution,  Fleet  Street  was  the  fashionable  part  of 
the  town,  and  there  was  much  commercial  business 
carried  on  at  the  North  End.  Near  the  house,  on  the 
opposite  side,  was  a  large  and  spacious  mansion,  where 
several  navy  officers  lodged.  Not  far  from  its  western 
window  stood  Governor  Hutchinson's  handsome  domicile, 
with  a  garden  full  of  fruit  trees.  The  late  Captain  John 
Pedrick,  of  Boston,  knew  the  commodore  well,  and 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  l/ 

described  his  house  with  minuteness,  and  his  style  of 
living,  which  he  deemed  extravagant. 

Colonel  Hinds  also  informed  the  writer,  that  his  mother 
resided  at  that  time  with  her  father  in  Fleet  Street,  and 
he  often  heard  her  relate,  that,  sitting  at  the  western  win- 
dow of  the  parlor,  she  frequently  listened  to  the  preach- 
ing of  the  Rev.  John  Murray,  in  his  church  in  Hanover 
Street,  as  there  was  no  building  at  the  corner  to  intercept 
the  sound  of  his  voice.  Tucker's  house  has  long  since 
disappeared  ;  new  buildings  have  been  erected  where  it 
stood,  and  Fleet  Street  widened. 

As  he  was  thought  affluent,  he  associated  with  the  first 
families  in  Boston  ;  for  riches  then,  as  now,  opened  the 
doors  of  hospitality,  and  have  always  had  a  paramount 
influence  in  this  place.  He  was  genial,  popular,  and, 
indeed,  too  generous  for  his  own  good.  His  personal 
appearance  was  striking ;  he  was  in  the  mid-day  of  life, 
of  more  than  average  height,  bright  complexion,  fine 
features,  with  deep  blue  eyes,  which,  when  animated, 
seemed  to  grow  dark.  He  wore  the  brilliant  dress  of  a 
naval  commander  —  a  blue  coat  with  lapels,  scarlet  vest, 
and  dark-blue  small  clothes.  Such  was  Commodore 
Tucker,  almost  ninety  years  ago,  as  he  was  described  by 
his  aged  friend,  Captain  Pedrick,  who  has  since  followed 
the  ocean  warrior  to  the  grave. 

A  similar  account  of  him,  when  he  resided  in  Boston, 
was  given  some  years  since  by  an  intelligent  old  lady,  who 
was  born  there,  May  i,  1755, — Mrs.  Elizabeth  Perkins, 
a  niece  of  the  late  eminent  Samuel  Adams.  She  was 
christened  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Byles,  of  such  eccentric  wit ; 


1 68  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

her  first  husband  was  the  Rev.  John  Hunter,  chaplain  of 
the  frigate  Queen  of  France,  and  her  sister  was  married 
to  Benjamin  Brown,  M*.  D.,  surgeon  in  the  frigate  Boston, 
when  commanded  by  Tucker.  This  lady,  of  such  honored 
connections,  was  residing,  when  the  writer  saw  her,  in 
East  Boston,  and  was  ninety-five  years  old.  Her  hearing 
and  her  sight  were  remarkably  good,  and  for  sixty  or 
seventy  years  she  had  drank  one  cup  of  strong  coffee,  that 
"  slow  poison,"  every  morning.  This  fine,  cheerful  old 
lady  knew  the  commodore,  and  was  enthusiastic  in  his 
praise.  He  kept  open  doors,  was  hospitable,  exceedingly 
fond  of  company,  ever  in  gladsome  spirits,  and  ready  to 
make  others  happy.  "  He  was  a  goodly  man,"  she  said, 
"  to  look  upon,  so  handsome,  so  animated.  Often  have  I 
danced  with  him  in  the  minuet,  which  was  a  fashionable 
accomplishment  in  those  days,  and  he  was  so  light  of  foot 
on  the  floor!  We  girls  were  always  after  him  for  a 
partner.  But  he  lived  too  generously.  Government  owed 
him  a  great  deal  of  money,  and  treated  him  shamefully. 
At  last  he  lost  his  property,  and  after  six  years,  moved 
back  to  Marblehead.  He  was  a  noble-hearted  man." 

Such  was  the  picture  drawn  by  this  venerable  woman, 
of  one  who  filled  no  small  space  in  her  memory,  when 
she  was  in  the  bloom  of  girlhood.  Mrs.  Perkins  was  then 
taking  care  of  a  sick  daughter,  and  as  our  conversation 
led  to  the  spirit  world,  to  which  she  has  since  gone,  she 
spoke  so  humbly,  so  meekly,  and  with  such  fervent  faith, 
resigning  all  her  hopes  in  a  Savior's  love,  that  it  left  a 
strong  conviction  that  her  cheerful  frame  of  spirits,  fond- 
ness for  lively  company,  and  that  elegant  and  innocent 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  169 

accomplishment,  dancing,  had  made  her  old  age  serene 
and  happy,  and  her  powers  of  conversation  a  delight  to  all 
who  knew  her.  She  died  at  Boston,  in  1853,  aged  99. 
Funeral  services  were  held  at  Christ  Church,  Salem  Street. 

Such  are  the  gleanings  of  his  domestic  life  in  the  fields 
of  old  reminiscences.  It  was  like  gathering  leaves  in  the 
cave  of  Sibvl,  —  rap  id  is  Jndibria  ventis,  the  sport  of  the 
winds  of  age,  —  or  like  drawing  testimony  touching  some 
ancient  landmark  of  an  ancestral  domain  from  the  hoary 
witnesses  of  another  generation. 

After  his  return  from  captivity,  in  August,  there  is  no 
evidence  that  he  took  the  command  of  any  armed  vessel. 
It  was  his  wish  to  resign  his  office,  but  he  was  not  dis- 
missed from  service.  His  last  public  act  was  calling  a 
court  of  inquiry  in  1784,  on  the  conduct  of  Seth  Harding, 
Esq.,  for  the  loss  of  the  Confederacy,  and  that  duty  was 
performed  faithfully. 

He  lived  in  Boston  about  six  years,  in  all  the  style  and 
luxury  of  fortune  ;  but  he  never  knew  the  value  of  money, 
nor  prudence  in  the  use  of  it.  He  became  reduced  in 
circumstances,  and  found  his  resources,  great  as  they  had 
been,  wasting  away.  It  was  not  so  much  from  ex- 
travagance, as  from  the  careless  way  in  which  he  lent 
sums  of  monev7  to  needy  borrowers.  How  many  in- 
stances of  this  kind  occurred  we  have  no  means  of  know- 
ing;  but  one  stands  out  in  bold  relief,  —  a  gross  act  of 
credulity  on  his  part,  — which  was  followed  by  years  of 
suffering. 

He  had  a  friend,  Major  D.  C.,  who  had  served  in 
the  army,  afterwards  entered  into  trade,  became  un- 
fortunate, and  finally  was  on  the  verge  of  bankruptcy. 


170  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

To  relieve  this  man  Commodore  Tucker,  contrary  to  the 
remonstrance  of  his  wife,  and  without  consulting  his 
friends,  lent  him,  on  the  23d  of  November,  1785, —  the 
particulars  are  among  his  papers,  —  eighteen  certificates  of 
United  States  scrip,  of  one  thousand  dollars  each,  and  two 
hundred  dollars  in  cash,  making  eighteen  thousand  two 
hundred  dollars,  though  Major  C.  only  asked  a  loan 
of  -five  thousand  dollars.  The  debt  was  to  have  been 
paid  in  a  week,  but  the  time  of  payment  never  came. 
Mrs.  Tucker  warned  him,  and  urged  him  to  forbear,  but, 
said  the  generous  commodore,  "  Can  I  not  trust  an  old 
soldier  and  a  friend?  What  is  this  world  coming  to?" 
Alas  !  the  "  old  soldier  "  proved  recreant ;  "  the  friend  " 
absconded,  and  years  after  years  passed  away  before  this 
ungrateful  man  \vas  discovered.  But  I  will  not  anticipate  ; 
we  shall  hear  from  him  again  at  a  future  day. 

Tucker  applied  to  Congress  for  "  arrears  of  pay  on 
account  of  services  rendered  his  country,"  but  without 
success.  His  account  had  been  adjusted  by  Benjamin 
Walker,  Esq.,  a  commissioner  and  auditor  for  the  Marine 
Committee,  up  to  August  5,  1780,  before  whom  he  attend- 
ed in  New  York,  1787-  The  balance  for  about  four  years 
was  then  left  unsettled,  and  has  never  been  paid,  notwith- 
standing his  urgent  applications  to  government.  At  last 
he  was  told,  after  many  years  had  elapsed,  that  his  claim 
was  not  presented  in  season,  and  was  barred  by  a  resolve 
in  the  nature  of  the  statute  of  limitations.  If  such  were 
the  fact,  however  salutary  this  law  may  be  between  citi- 
zen and  citizen  as  a  remedy  against  fraud,  and  that  there 
may  bejinis  litium, — an  end  of  suits, — yet  no  honest  man 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  171 

ever  took  advantage  of  such  a  shield  to  ward  off  just  debts, 
and  no  Congress  nor  parliamentary  body,  whose  omnip- 
otence is  proverbial,  should  ever  resort  to  such  an  in- 
famous subterfuge  to  wrong  a  private  citizen,  and  much 
more  a  faithful  navy  officer.  Republics  are  said  to  be 
ungrateful,  but  they  ought  not  to  be  dishonest.  Even  late 
as  it  is,  —  though  more  than  ninety  years  have  passed 
since  the  debt  accrued,  —  yet  if  arrears  are  due  to  a  public 
servant,  beyond  doubt,  and  uncontroverted,  the  voice  of 
all  mankind  will  echo  this  opinion,  that  Congress  is  bound 
in  honor  and  good  faith  to  do  justice  to  his  memory  by 
providing  for  payment  of  the  debt  to  his  heirs.  The 
petition  he  drew  up  contains  a  compendious  summary  of 
his  naval  pursuits  and  battles,  and  particularly  refers  to 
the  vote  of  thanks  passed  by  Congress,  and  presented  to 
him  by  the  committee  in  1787. 

The  name,  of  the  member  of  Congress  who  presented 
the  petition,  and  the  session  in  which  it  was  offered,  do 
not  appear  in  the  copy.  In  it  lie  speaks  of  his  calling 'a 
court  of  inquirv  upon  the  conduct  of  Scth  Harding,  Esq., 
on  the  recent  loss  of  the  frigate  Confederacy,  thirty-two, 
under  his  command.  This  ship  of  war  was  called  "  The 
Unlucky."  She  was  launched  in  1778;  and,  June  22, 
1781,  sent  by  government  to  Cape  Fran9ois.  On  her  return 
was  pursued  by  two  English  frigates,  and  one  of  them 
getting  alongside  of  her  while  the  other  was  very  near, 
she  struck  her  colors.  The  decision  of  the  court  is  not 
stated  in  that  paper. 

The  noble  spirit  of  Tucker  could  not  brook  to  run  in 
debt,  or  live  dependent  on  his  friends.  He  saw  no  hope 


172  LIFE   OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

that  the  arrears  of  several  thousands  of  dollars  due  him  by 
government  would  be  paid,  at  least  for  a  long  time,  if 
ever.  It  appears  that  he  resorted  again  to  the  sea,  for  in 
the  Advertiser  of  Boston,  published  June  21,  1783,  is  the 
following  notice :  "  Ship  for  London.  The  good  ship 
Savanna,  Samuel  Tucker,  Esq.,  commander ;  about  three 
hundred  and  twenty  tons,  and  in  every  respect  accom- 
modated for  passengers,  will  sail  in  about  twelve  days." 
And  in  his  letter  to  Mr.  Adams,  November  10,  179°?  ne 
refers  in  a  note  to  seeing  him  in  London. 

In  September,  1783,  he  commanded  the  merchant  ship 
Sana  nil,  from  Portsmouth  to  London  ;  and  January,  1784, 
he  had  charge  of  the  Caroline,  between  Baltimore  and 
London  ;  and  July,  1784?  he  was  master  of  the  ship  Cato. 
The  last  proved  an  unfortunate  craft  to  him ;  for,  in 
November  of  the  same  year,  he  sailed  in  her  from  the  port 
of  Aucaxes,  Hispaniola,  with  a  cargo  of  sugar,  coffee,  and 
molasses,  bound  to  Virginia  ;  and  on  the  25th  of  Decem- 
ber it  began  to  blow,  and  the  gale  increased  in  violence, 
until  the  loth  of  January,  when  they  lost  their  rudder 
from  a  heavy  stroke  of  the  sea.  The  ship  became  un- 
manageable, and  leaked  to  such  a  degree,  and  took  in  so 
much  water,  that  they  could  not  work  the  pumps,  and 
were  fearful  of  foundering.  On  the  i5th,  they  saw  and 
hailed  the  ship  Henrietta,  Captain  Wickes,  from  Mary- 
land to  Lisbon,  who  took  them  oft"  in  latitude  34°  37', 
longitude  62°  34',  and  conveyed  them  to  Lisbon.  The 
next  morning  the  Cato  had  disappeared,  having,  in  her 
waterlogged  condition,  probably  sunk.  Captain  Tucker, 
on  his  return  home,  resolved  to  leave  Boston. 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  173 

This  change,  there  is  reason  to  believe,  took  place  in 
1 786,  for  there  is  on  record  a  deed  of  warranty  from  John 

Gardner,  of ,  to  Samuel  Tucker,  of  Boston,  Esq.,  dated 

August  28,  1786,  wherein  he  conveys  to  him  "  two  thirds 
of  two  grist-mills,  and  two  thirds  of  a  graiuery,  situated  be- 
tween Marblehead  and  Salem."  lie  removed  to  Marble- 
head  with  his  family,  consisting  of  his  wife,  three  chil- 
dren, and  his  mother.  The  children  were  Mary,  Martha, 
and  Samuel,  the  survivors  of  five  ;  their  first  son  Samuel 
having  died  September  5,  1776, 'and  their  daughter  Betsey 
December  8,  1781.  On  this  spot  he  resided  six  years. 
The  contrast  between  the  gay  and  joyous  scenes  in  his 
handsome  house  in  Boston,  and  this  humble  habitation  in 
solitude,  near  a  lonely  mill  and  little  rnill-pond  in  Marble- 
head,  must  have  been  severe  and  trying  in  this  day  of  his 
adversity. 

His  success  in  a  grist-mill  and  granary,  best  known  by 
the  name  of  "  Gatchell's  Mills,"  could  not  have  been  very 
flattering.  Tending  a  mill,  whether  in  person  or  by 
proxy,  was  not  a  kind  of  business  congenial  to  the  taste  of 
a  naval  hero.  To  doff  the  dazzling  uniform  of  a  com- 
modore and  don  the  white,  ghost-like  frock  of  a  miller,  to 
guide  the  water-power  over  the  wheels  instead  of  plough- 
ing the  great  tides  of  the  ocean,  where  he  had  so  often 
gained  victory  and  wealth,  and  to  undergo  the  drudgery 
of  keeping  his  hopper  full,  and  filling  sack  after  sack, 
readv  for  the  horses  and  asses  at  his  door,  must  have  been 
humiliating  beyond  all  common  sorrow.  It  did  not  last 
long.  The  generous  man  gave  away  to  the  poor  more 
than  half  the  toll  which  all  his  grinding  produced. 


1 74  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

Perhaps,  during  his  residence  at  the  mills  in  Marble- 
head,  he  might  have  resorted  to  his  old  vocation  of  ship- 
master, and  left  the  grinding  of  corn  to  some  sub-agent, 
while  he  reaped  a  better  harvest  in  the  ocean  ;  but  if  so, 
there  is  no  account  of  it  transmitted  among  his  papers. 
His  circumstances,  from  loans  and  losses,  had  become 
straitened.  When  the  Cato  foundered  at  sea  he  was 
a  great  pecuniary  sufferer.  He  was  interested  in  the 
building  of  that  ship  at  Portsmouth,  and  when  he  took 
command  of  her,  he  was  owner  of  one  half  of  her  and  her 
cargo.  His  loss  was  twenty  thousand  dollars. 

Under  these  circumstances,  he  made  an  application  for 
a  command  of  one  of  the  Federal  cutters,  ordered  to  be 
built  for  the  service  of  the  United  States,  as  will  be  seen 
by  the  correspondence  which  follows  —  showing,  in  this 
world  of  change,  that  merit  is  not  always  rewarded,  nor 
worth  appreciated  by  men  of  power. 

BOSTON,  ist  of  October,  1790. 

SIR  :  Understanding  there  are  to  be  built  a  number  of 
Federal  cutters,  for  the  service  of  the  United  States,  I 
humbly  ofter  myself  a  candidate  to  serve  in  one,  if  your 
Excellency  thinks  me  worthy.  I  served  through  the  whole 
of  the  late  war,  without  any  kind  of  impeachment  whatso- 
ever, as  captain.  If  you  please,  inquire  my  character,  and 
afterwards,  if  your  Excellency  thinks  me  worthy  to  com- 
mand, I  shall  be  ever  happy  to  serve.  And  I  am,  sir, 
with  profound  respect, 

Your  most  obedient,  very  humble  servant, 

SAMUEL  TUCKER. 
To  THE  PRESIDENT  OF  AMERICA. 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 


BOSTON,  ist  of  October,  1790. 

SIR  :  Understanding  there  are  to  be  built  a  number  of 
Federal  cutters,  I  therefore  humbly  offer  myself  as  a  can- 
didate for  the  command  of  one ;  and  take  the  liberty  of 
asking  your  influence  with  the  President,  not  doubtful 
you  will  be  pleased  to  favor  me,  if  you  think  me  deserv- 
ing. I  am,  with  sincerity, 

Your  most  obedient,  humble  servant, 

SAMUEL  TUCKER. 
To  THE  HONORABLE  JOHN  ADAMS, 

Vice- President  of  America. 

MARBLEHEAD,  4th  October,  1790. 

SIR  :  After  your  very  favorable  advice  on  the  ist  instant, 
I  wrote  a  few  lines  to  the  President,  and  likewise  to  the  Vice- 
President,  and  gave  them  to  your  lady  for  your  perusal, 
praying  your  goodness  in  directing  them.  Should  there  be 
any  deficiency,  be  pleased  to  acquaint  me  by  the  bearer, 
and  if  necessary,  of  my  seeing  you  before  your  return  to 
York.  I  shall  take  care  to  be  in  Boston  on  your  return- 
ing from  your  eastern  journey.  The  President  may  have 
forgot,  but  the  Vice-President  cannot,  by  means  of  our 
passage  to  France.  The  commission  I  wore  in  the  ser- 
vice of  my  country  the  last  war  bears  date  January  20, 
1776,  was  received  from  the  President  in  Cambridge,  and 
another  from  Congress  bearing  date  from  the  I5th  of 
March,  1777;  both  of  which  I  served  under  without  the 
least  impeachment  whatsoever.  In  mentioning  these, 


1^6  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

with  presenting  the   letters,  shall  be  gratefully  acknowl- 
edged, by,  sir, 

Your  Honor's  most  obedient,  very  humble  servant, 

SAMUEL  TUCKER. 
GENERAL  KNOX,  Secretary  of  the 

War  Department  of  the  United  States. 

MARBLEHEAD,  loth  November,  1790. 

SIR  :  On  the  ist  of  October  I  happened  in  Boston,  and 
with  pleasure  was  made  acquainted  with  General  Knox, 
and  with  the  general  had  some  conversation  respecting 
the  building  of  those  ten  Federal  cutters.  He  desired  me 
to  write,  and  give  him  a  line  to  the  President.  I  im- 
mediately obeyed  his  desire,  and  also  wrote  a  line  to  the 
Vice-President,  asking  his  influence  with  the  President  in 
procuring  me  the  command  of  one  of  those  cutters,  hoping 
my  request  will  not  be  deemed  imprudence  ;  as  from  an 
early  dawn  of  the  American  contest,  until  the  close  of  the 
Revolution,  I  served  my  country  without  any  kind  of  im- 
peachment, and  since  peace  took  place  have  been  trulv 
unfortunate  ;  and  all  this  period  such  a  command  would 
afford  me  a  comfortable  living  in  addition  to  the  small 
interest  I  possess.  Your  assistance  in  this  request  shall 
be  gratefully  acknowledged  by,  sir, 

Your  most  obedienfand  very  humble  servant, 

SAMUEL  TUCKER. 

N.  B.  The  copy  of  the  journal  you  mentioned  to  me, 
when  I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  in  London,  was 
prepared  immediately  on  my  arrival;  but  not  knowing 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  177 

whether  necessary  or  not  to  forward  them,  the  abstract 
remains  with  me. 

S.  TUCKER. 
To  THE  HONORABLE  JOHN  ADAMS, 

Vice- President  of  Congress. 

MARBLEHEAD,  loth  November,  1790. 

SIR  :  I  yesterday  waited  on  the  Honorable  Elbridge 
Gerry,  who  gave  me  to  understand  that  you  were  the 
gentleman  appointed  to  nominate  the  officers  for  the 
Federal  cutters,  and  likewise  desired  me  to  transmit  to 
you  a  number  of  documents  which  he  read,  for  your 
perusal,  or  otherwise  to  come  on  to  York.  It  not  being 
in  my  power,  for  various  reasons,  at  present,  I  think  proper 
to  enclose  five,  If  you  please,  give  yourself  the  trouble 
to  read  them  ;  the  originals,  and  a  great  number  of 
others  to  the  same  purpose,  I  have  in  possession. 

At  the  dawn  of  the  American  contest,  I  received  a  com- 
mission from  the  President,  in  Cambridge,  bearing  date  on 
the  2oth  of  January,  1776,  as  a  captain  in  the  marine 
service,  with  which  1  served  until  the  vessel  was  no  longer 
fit  for  use;  and  on  the  I5th  of  March,  1777,  I  received 
another  from  Congress  in  Philadelphia,  with  which  I 
served  on  board  the  Boston  until  the  reduction  of  Charles- 
ton, when  I  was  made  a  prisoner  to  Vice-Admiral 
Arbuthnot ;  when  liberated  I  came  to  Boston,  and  made 
application  for  an  exchange  for  Captain  William  Ward- 
low  of  the  king's  ship  Thorn,  which  I  captured  twelve 
months  before.  When  my  exchange  was  completed,  and 
no  other  public  ship  to  serve  on  board,  I  grew  uneasy, 
12 


iyS  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

being  inactive.  I  applied  to  the  Navy  Board,  told  my 
story,  and  asked  leave  of  absence  to  cruise  in  a  private 
ship  against  the  enemies  of  my  country. 

On  my  application,  they  refused  me.  But  on  my  tell- 
ing them  the  consequences,  I  obtained  it,  and  went  through 
the  remainder  of  the  war,  in  that  time  of  life  with  equal 
success  to  that  in  a  public  ship,  and  always  took  care  to 
attend  the  Navy  Board  on  my  arriving  and  leaving  them. 
I  would  not  wish  to  trouble  you  too  much  with  a  long  letter, 
but  must  say  that  my  claim  to  any  public  service  in  the 
marine  department  is  before  any  man's  in  the  State  ;  and 
if  credentials  would  prove  it,  I  could  procure  a  letter  from 
every  gentleman  of  character  in  our  vicinity.  I  happened 
in  Boston  the  ist  of  October,  when  I  was  informed  of  the 
building  of  those  cutters,  the  first  day  of  my  hearing  any- 
thing of  the  matter.  Also,  I  was  informed  by  Major 
Phelon,  a  land  officer,  that  his  Excellency  the  Governor 
and  General  Lincoln  had  written  in  favor  of  Captain  John 
Foster  Williams.  I  immediately  attended  the  general  in 
his  office,  where  I  was  very  politely  received,  and  after 
addressing  myself  very  cordially,  asked  the  general  why 
he  omitted  me  in  the  letter  he  wrote  for  candidates,  my 
being  only  at  the  distance  of  fourteen  miles  from  Boston, 
why  he  could  have  forgotten  me?  lie  told  me  there  was 
only  one  cutter  for  this  State,  and  there  were  more  than 
one  hundred  applicants  for  her.  I  answered  him,  if  there 
were  a  thousand,  mine  was  the  only  just  claim,  because  I 
served  the  public  through  the  whole  of  the  last  war,  with- 
out the  least  impeachment  whatsoever,  and  should  think 
it  very  hard  treatment  for  a  private  State  officer  to  super- 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  179 

sede  me  in  any  public  command  where  honor  was  to  be 
gained. 

I  wrote  the  President  a  few  lines,  and  likewise  the  Vice- 
President,  which  General  Knox  did  me  the  honor  to  be 
the  bearer  of,  as  I  am  informed  no  appointments  arc  to  be 
made  until  the  next  session  of  Congress,  which  will  be  in 
December  ist,  ensuing.  On  the  reception  of  these,  if  you 
please,  inquire  of  my  character  of  whom  you  may  think 
proper,  not  omitting  the  Vice-President,  Mr.  Lee,  or  Mr. 
Gerry  ;  and  if  you  should  be  pleased  to  nominate  me, 
pray  let  it  be  for  this  State,  and  your  favor  will  be  grate- 
fully acknowledged,  by,  sir, 

Your  most  obedient,  very  humble  servant, 

SAMUEL  TUCKER. 

N.  B.  Should  you  choose  to  give  a  line  in  answer, 
pray  direct  it  to  me  at  Marblehead. 

ALEXANDER  HAMILTON,  Esq., 

Secretary  of  the  Treasury  of  the  United  States. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  December  4,  1790. 
SIR:  Your  letter  of  the  loth  ultimo  has  been  received. 
The  President  of  the  United  States  having  made  the  ap- 
pointment of  the  commander  of  the  cutter  to  be  built  in 
the  State  of  Massachusetts,  prior  to  your  application,  and 
your  name  not  having  been  brought  forward  to  him,  either 
by  your  friends  or  yourself,  it  was  too  late  for  this  vessel. 
Should  any  other  boat  be  stationed  on  your  coasts,  and 
should  your  name  be  submitted  to  the  President,  he  will 
duly  compare  your  merits  with  those  of  any  other  can- 


iSo  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

didates  that  shall  be  then  before  him,  and  will  decide,  no 
doubt,  as  justice  and  the  public  interest  shall  require. 
I  am,  sir,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

ALEXANDER  HAMILTON. 
CAPTAIN  SAMUEL  TUCKER,  Marblehead. 


MARBLEHEAD,  3oth  December,  1790. 

SIR  :  Yours  of  the  4th  instant  came  safe  to  hand, 
whereby  you  inform  me  of  the  appointment  being  made 
by  the  President  of  the  commander  of  the  cutter  built  in 
Massachusetts  State,  prior  to  my  application  by  General 
Knox  of  the  ist  of  October,  or  by  those  of  the  post.  I 
was  confident  the  former  would  have  been  presented  the 
President,  and  likewise  the  Vice-President,  before  any 
appointments  could  have  been  made,  because,  from  the 
information  I  had  respecting  the  appointment  of  officers, 
they  were  to  have  taken  place  at  this  session,  which  is 
only  thirty  days  past.  Possibly  my  letters  which  General 
Knox  did  me  the  honor  to  be  the  bearer  of  may  have 
been  displaced  before  they  reached  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment ;  if  so,  I  am  sorry,  as  my  whole  dependence  was  in 
that  early  opportunity. 

I  do  not  understand  by  your  letter  to  whom  the  com- 
mand has  devolved,  but  am  sure  the  superior  wisdom  of  the 
President  has  made  a  just  decision.  You  mention,  should 
my  name  be  submitted  to  the  President  in  season  for  any 
other  maritime  command,  that  he  will  compare  my  merit 
with  that  of  other  candidates  that  shall  be  laid  before  him. 
I  must  beg  the  favor  of  your  mentioning  my  name,  and  I 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  iSl 

shall  also  submit  myself  to  the  President  by  this  post  for 
the  command  of  a  cutter,  and  wish  it  may  be  obtained. 
My  proceedings  in  every-cruise  in  public  service  were  duly 
committed  to  Congress  on  my  arrival ;  which  proceedings 
lay  in  the  commissioner's  office,  and  the  originals  or 
journals  I  have  by  me ;  and  what  is  most,  I  have  never 
received  the  least  censure  from  the  beginning  of  the 
contest  until  the  end  of  the  Revolution,  and  subscribe 
myself 

Your  most  obedient,  and  very  humble  servant, 

SAMUEL  TUCKER. 
ALEXANDER  HAMILTON,  Esq., 

Secretary  of  the  United  States  Treasury. 

The  request  to  be  appointed  commander  of  one  of  the 
Federal  cutters  was  no  more  successful  than  his  urgent 
appeal  to  Congress  to  discharge  the  arrears  due  him. 
Although  he  was  one  of  the  oldest  surviving  officers  of  the 
Continental  navy,  ever  faithful  and  prompt  to  elevate  the 
flag  of  his  country,  yet  a  more  fortunate  and  less  deserv- 
ing aspirant  for  this  humble  office  was  patronized. 

General  Hamilton  writes  him,  that  there  were  prior 
applicants,  and  "  it  'was  too  late"  —  words  everywhere 
and  at  all  times  of  fearful  meaning:  his  name  was  not 
even  brought  forward.  He  replies  with  spirit  and  feeling 
to  the  Secretary,  that  he  had  a  just  claim  for  a  berth  of 
this  kind  on  account  of  his  long  and  faithful  services  in 
the  war.  But  it  is  too  plain  he  had  no  warm  friend  at 
court  to  whisper  in  the  ear.  of  power  his  merit  and  his 
misfortunes.  The  illustrious  Secretary  seems  to  have  been 


1 82  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

an  utter  stranger  to  his  services  and  exploits,  and  the 
office  was  in  his  gift.  Could  it  be  possible  that  the  President 
of  the  United  States  could  have  forgotten  him,  when  his 
petition  for  this  small  boon  was  made?  No,  never! 
General  Washington  never  forgot  a  single  brave  officer 
in  the  navy  which  he  originated,  nor  in  the  army  which  he 
led  to  victory.  There  must  have  been  some  mystery  we 
know  not  of. 

"  //  ivas  too  late."  Perhaps  so.  Yet  it  seems  hard, 
and  even  a  cruel  circumstance,  that  an  officer —  is  it  too 
much  to  say,  a  naval  hero? —  who  had  served  seven  years 
in  faithful  duty,  who  had  fought  many  battles  on  the 
ocean  with  extraordinary  success,  a  pioneer  who  taught 
England  what  our  navy  would  one  day  be,  a  man  with- 
out reproach  and  without  fear,  a  captain  who  had  never 
been  impeached  by  any  court  nor  rebuked  by  any  higher 
power,  and  who  at  the  end  of  the  war  received  the  thanks 
of  Congress  for  his  valor  and  services,  that  such  a  man, 
when  poor  and  needy,  with  a  wife  and  children,  should 
ask  the  gift  of  a  small  office,  and  be  told  "  it  is  too  late" 
and  then  turned  off  with  a  needless  and  frozen  promise 
that  he  should  have  the  next  vacancy  if  found  worthy. 
When,  in  the  last  war  with  England,  he  took  the  armed 
sloop  Crown,  with  a  few  raw  volunteers,  Commodore 
Tucker,  old  as  he  was,  taught  this  great  nation  "  /'/  is 
never  too  late"  to  defend  our  country  when  attacked  by 
the  enemy  ! 

On  the  27th  of  March,  1794,  six  frigates  were  ordered 
by  Congress  to  be  built  immediately.  The  Constitution, 
President,  and  United  States,  each  of  forty-four  guns,  and 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER.  183 

the  Chesapeake,  Constellation,  and  Congress,  of  thirty- 
eight,  were  soon  added  to  our  navy.  In  selecting  com- 
manders for  these  new  ships  when  finished,  regard,  we  are 
told. was  had  to  the  surviving  naval  captains  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  especially  those  who  had  distinguished  them- 
selves. But  what  was  the  fact?  John  Barry,  Samuel 
Nicholson,  and  Joshua  Barnev,  were  justly  and  deservedly 
commissioned.  But  what  claim,  under  this  rule,  had  Silas 
Talbot,  a  captain  who  never  commanded  a  ship  of  war 
in  the  Revolution  ;  or  Richard  Dale,  only  a  lieutenant 
under  Commodore  Jones ;  or  Thomas  Truxton,  merely 
the  commander  of  a  privateer,  though  all  gallant  and 
excellent  men,  to  so  exalted  a  rank,  while  Commodore 
Tucker,  then  not  fifty  years  of  age,  a  most  skilful  and  suc- 
cessful officer  through  all  the  seven  years'  war,  was  omitted, 
passed  by,  and  left  to  the  cold  chills  of  neglect? 

There  is  among  his  papers  the  copy  of  a  letter  dated 
in  December,  1806,  which  he  wrote  to  the  Honorable 
John  Dawson,  member  of  Congress  from  Virginia,  on 
this  subject,  wherein  he  speaks  of  the  Constitution,  Con- 
stellation, and  other  new  frigates  ordered  to  be  built,  but 
in  no  one  of  which  was  any  offer  of  command  made  to 
him.  And  he  mournfully  remarks,  that  "  it  was  reported 
that  Tucker  was  dead  and  buried  five  years  ago. 
President  Adams,  at  Quincy,  told  me  he  had  heard  the 
same  report." 


1 84 


CHAPTER    X. 

COMMODORE  TUCKER'S  REMOVAL  TO  BRISTOL.  —  ITS 
EARLY  HISTORY.  —  PEMAQUID  FORT. —  His  DOMESTIC 
LIFE  ON  THE  FARM. 

THE  dark  day  of  adversity  was  now  coming  upon  this 
veteran  naval  officer.  He  found  too  sadly  that  the 
water-wheel  of  a  mill  was  not  the  wheel  of  fortune. 
What  could  he  do  to  support  a  family?  Did  he  succumb 
to  tears  and  murmurs  against  divine  Providence,  or  com- 
plain against  his  country  ?  No.  He  looked  to  the  resources 
within  him  —  the  vigorous  and  independent  efforts  of  his 
own  mind.  He  bade  adieu  to  the  metropolis,  to  the  seaport 
of  his  nativity,  and  to  the  fond  associates  of  his  better  days, 
and  plunged  into  the  wilderness.  There,  with  his  own 
hands  he  cultivated  the  earth,  and  earned  his  bread  by  the 
sweat  of  his  brow.  Though  lonely  and  forgotten  by  the 
magnates  of  the  land,  he  never  forgot  his  countrv. 

He  sold  his  interest  in  the  Gatchell  Mills,  and  August 
4,  1792,  purchased  a  farm  in  Bristol,  Maine,  of  Daniel 
McCurdy.  The  deed  specified  two  hundred  acres,  with  a 
house  and  barn  on  the  premises.  The  building  was  of 
one  story,  containing  a  kitchen,  bed-room,  and  unfinished 
chamber  in  the  garret.  It  was  constructed  of  three-inch 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER.  185 

plank,  tree-nailed  into  the  frame,  and  finished  in  the 
cheapest,  manner —  a  sad  contrast  to  the  handsome  man- 
sion adorned  with  a  cupola,  which  he  once  owned  in 
Fleet  Street.  In  this  humble  and  incommodious  habita- 
tion he  resided  with  his  wife,  aged  mother,  and  widowed 
daughter,  Mrs.  Hinds,  and  her  son,  until,  in  1820,  he  was 
enabled,  by  his  pension,  to  build  another  on  the  same  spot, 
more  convenient  and  suitable  to  his  rank.  It  stood  on  a 
rise  of  ground  in  view  of  Muscongus  Pond,  and  of  two  or 
three  dwellings  in  the  distance,  and  within  a  mile  of 
Muscongus  harbor  beneath  the  hills. 

The  town  of  Bristol,  where  he  selected  his  last  residence, 
from  its  early  history  and  the  celebrity  of  the  Pemaquid 
Fort  before  the  Revolution,  will  justify  a  more  than  oi'di- 
nary  notice  in  a  biographical  sketch  of  this  kind. 

Bristol,  one  of  the  oldest  settlements  in  Maine,  was 
not  incorporated  till  1765.  From  Pemaquid  Point  it 
extended  north  about  twenty  miles,  with  an  average 
width  of  five  or  six,  and  lies  between  Muscongus  and 
Damariscotta  Rivers.  Blessed  by  nature  with  much  fertile 
soil  and  several  good  harbors,  it  began  to  flourish  at  an 
early  period,  especially  in  the  fisheries,  and  it  became  a 
favorite  resort  for  men  engaged  in  that  occupation.  The 
first  inhabitants  were  a  hardy  and  industrious  race  ;  but 
their  ignorance  and  immorality  for  a  long  time  hung  like 
a  dark  cloud  over  the  prospects  of  this  place,  until  an 
emigration  of  Scotch-Irish,  and  some  Germans,  intro- 
duced agriculture,  public  schools,  and  a  regard  for  reli- 
gious instruction  among  them.  Their  descendants  erected 
three  churches ;  one  in  the  Walpole  district  on  the 


1 86  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

Dnmariscottn  River,  one  at  Broad  Cove,  and  the  third  at 
the  head  of  Pemaquid  harbor. 

In  1773,  Rev.  Alexander  M'Lean,  a  Scotch  Presbyterian, 
was  settled  as  their  minister,  and  officiated  alternately  in 
one  of  these  houses  of  worship -each  Sunday.  He  was  a 
man  of  education,  conversant  with  Greek  and  Hebrew, 
tall  in  stature,  and  stern  in  features  ;  he  had  a  loud  and 
energetic  voice,  which,  uttered  in  all  the  breadth  of  the 
broad  Scotch  brogue,  gave  to  his  doctrines  a  peculiarly 
dark  and  terrible  import,  as  though  he  was  armed  with 
the  thunders  of  Heaven.  In  repressing  vice  he  was  bold, 
though  sometimes  not  very  dainty  in  his  denunciations. 
It  is  said  that  once,  in  rebuking  a  peculiar  style  of  court- 
ship, somewhat  prevalent  in  those  days  in  Bristol,  as  well 
as  at  Cape  Cod,  he  caused  such  a  stir  of  handkerchiefs 
and  blushes  among  his  fair  parishioners,  that  the  female 
part  of  his  audience  rushed  out  of  church.  He  was  a 
good  man,  a  self-denying  and  worthy  Christian. 

This  town  has  now  seven  churches,  and  contains  about 
three  thousand  inhabitants.  Their  first  representative  to 
the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  was  William  Jones, 
and  one  of  the  last,  before  the  separation  of  Maine,  was 
Commodore  Tucker. 

Bristol,  however,  is  remarkable  as  the  locality  where 
one  of  the  earliest  permanent  settlements  in  New  England 
commenced  in  Pemaquid,  its  southern  extremity.  It  is 
\vatered  by  four  rivers  ;  two  interior,  the  Pemaquid  and- 
Johns  Rivers,  and  two  on  the  eastern  and  western 
sides,  the  Muscongus  and  Damariscotta  ;  and  has  also 
five  harbors,  the  Muscongus,  Round  Pond,  New  Harbor, 
Pemaquid,  and  Christmas  Cove. 


I-IFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  187 

Pcmaquid  Point  —  from  Pemaquida,  the  Indian  for 
long  point  —  and  the  Island  of  Monhegan,  east  of  it,  were 
first  noticed  by  that  bold  adventurer,  Bartholomew  Gos- 
nold,  in  1602.  Martin  Ring  followed  him  next  year,  and 
in  1605  Captain  Wey mouth  coasted  along  the  shores  of 
Sagadahock,  and  visited  the.  Kcnnebec,  Sheepscot.  and 
Damariscotta  Rivers.  Ilis  commercial  report,  in  which 
he  spoke  of  trade  in  fish,  furs,  and  timber,  was  so  favorable, 
that  Chief  Justice  Poph.am,  of  England,  in  1607,  fitted  out 
an  expedition  for  a  plantation  at  Pcmaquid  :  but  on  arriving 
there,  his  brother  Captain  Popham  found  the  natives  shy 
and  unfriendly,  probably  from  some  of  them  having  been 
kidnapped  and  carried  off  by  Weymouth  ;  and  he  aban- 
doned that  project,  and  sailed  along  the  coast  of  Sagada- 
hock, until  he  came  to  the  River  Kenncbcc,  at  the 
mouth  of  which  he  selected  a  spot,  now  called  Hunne- 
well's  Point,  lying  on  the  western  shore,  for  a  settlement. 
This  was  in  August,  1607.  This  Sagadahock  colony 
erected  a  stockade  fort,  some  houses,  and  a  magazine  for 
their  stores,  and  spent  the  winter  of  1607-8  there; 
during  which  they  built  a  vessel,  called  the  Virginia.  In 
the  mean  time  Captain  Popham  died,  and  also  his  brother 
the  Chief  Justice  in  England.  They  became  discouraged, 
gave  up  the  enterprise,  and  in  the  spring  returned  home. 

In  April,  1614,  the  chivalric  Captain  John  Smith 
visited  these  shores,  and  has  left  us  a  glowing  description 
of  his  vovage  along  the  coast.  As  he  approached  the 
main,  he  landed  at  the  Island  of  Monhegan,  and  remarks, 
"  Our  plot  was  there  to  catch  whales,  .  .  .  and  we  found 
the  whale  fishery  a  costly  conclusion  ;  we  saw  many,  and 


1 88  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

spent  much  time  in  chasing  them,  but  could  not  kill  any." 
He  then  speaks  of  Pemaquid,  Sagadahock,  and  Ken- 
nebec,  thus :  il  I  saw  nothing  but  great  high  cliffs  of  bar- 
ren rocks,  overgrown  with  wood  ;  but  where  the  salvages 
dwell,  there  the  ground  is  excellent,  salt,  and  fertile." 
And  of  the  sea-coast  he  observes,  "  Such  high,  craggy, 
clifty  peaks,  and  stony  isles,  that  I  wonder  such  great 
trees  could  grow  upon  such  hard  foundations." 

Adventurers  resorted  to  Pemaquid  not  long  after  its 
discover)-,  and  for  several  years  it  was  a  station  for  trade 
in  fish  and  furs.  The  fishermen  frequented  its  fine 
harbors,  and  spread  their  flakes  on  the  shores  ;  and  in 
1620  there  were  said  to  be  several  houses  in  that  locality  ; 
but  the  most  certain  account  is,  that  John  Pierce,  of  Lon- 
don, in  1622-3,  unc^er  a  charter  of  the  Plymouth  Coun- 
cil, occupied  it  permanently.  In  the  summer  of  1625, 
John  Brown,  of  New  Harbor,  purchased  these  premises 
with  other  adjacent  lands  of  John  Somerset  or  Samoset, 
Sachem  of  Pemaquid,  by  deed  dated  June  15,  1625,  for 
fifty  skins  of  beaver.  There  was  also  a  patent  granted  by 
the  Plymouth  Company  to  Robert  Aldsworth  and  Giles 
Elbridge,  in  1631,  of  ti  tract  which  included  Pemaquid; 
and  afterwards,  in  1664,  Charles  II.  gave  his  brother 
James,  Duke  of  York,  the  lands  lying  between  Pemaquid 
River  and  St.  Croix  ;  but  in  1753,  Shem  Drowne  set  up  a 
claim  to  these  premises,  under  Aldsworth's  title.  Thus  a 
fruitful  source  of  lawsuits  for  a  coming  generation  was 
laid  in  this  nest  of  litigation  to  disturb  the  public  peace  at 
a  future  day,  as  will  appear  in  the  next  chapter. 

In  1624,  a  small  stockade  fort,  called  Fort  St.  George, 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  189 

was  built ;  and  the  trade  had  become  so  prosperous,  and 
continued  to  increase  so  much  from  year  to  year,  that  in 
1631  there  were  five  hundred  residents  at  this  place  and 
its  vicinity.  But  the  next  year,  however,  they  were 
troubled  by  the  pirates,  Dixy  Bull  and  his  fifteen  fol- 
lowers, who  did  them  some  mischief;  but  they  killed  one 
of  them  in  a  skirmish,  and  finally  drove  the  rest  away. 
For  a  long  period  they  got  along  safely  in  the  midst  of 
suspicions  and  alarms  from  the  Indian  tribes,  under  the 
"  excellent  Abraham  Shurte,"  .as.  he  was  called,  who 
resided  there  sixty  years,  and  preserved  peace.  He  must 
have  been  a  man  of  extraordinary  influence  in  such  a 
community,  for  in  1665  royal  commissioners  were  sent 
out  from  England  to  examine  the  condition  of  this  planta- 
tion, and  in  their  report  observed,  that  "  those  people  for 
the  most  part  are  fishermen,  and  never  had  any  govern- 
ment among  them."  There  was  a  custom-house  there,  and 
the  place  was  named  Jamestown,  from  the  Duke  of  York. 

In  1676,  the  Indians,  instigated  by  King  Philip,  attacked 
and  burnt  several  settlements  in  Maine,  and  among  others 
Woolwich,  Damariscove,  and  New  Harbor.  Pemaquid 
was  laid  in  ashes,  and  its  inhabitants  fled.  The  next 
year,  King  Philip  being  dead,  and  hostilities  having  ceased, 
Sir  Edmund  Andros,  commissioned  as  Governor  of  New 
York  by  the  Duke  of  York,  rebuilt  the  fort  at  Pemaquid, 
and  called -it  Fort  Charles,  garrisoned  it  with  fifty  sol- 
diers, and  furnished  seven  guns,  with  ammunition.  This 
place  then  began  to  revive. 

Again,  in  1689,  the  Penobscot  Indians,  having  entered 
New  Harbor,  about  two  miles  east  of  Pemaquid,  in  one 


190  LIFE   OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

hundred  canoes,  divided  themselves  into  parties,  and 
attacked  the  fort ;  the  people  were  scattered  at  that  time, 
the  garrison  contained  only  thirty  men  under  Captain 
Weems,  and  resistance  became  hopeless.  The  savages 
laid  the  whole  settlement  in  ashes,  killed  a  number  of 
persons,  and  carried  oft'  several  women  and  children  into 
captivity. 

Among  those  who  were  slain  was  Thomas  Giles,  a 
peaceful  and  influential  citizen,  shot  on  his  farm  at 
Pemaquid  Falls,  three  miles  from  the  fort ;  his  widow 
and  four  children  —  two  of  them  daughters — were  car- 
ried away  as  prisoners  ;  and  his  eldest  son  escaped  and  fled 
to  Boston.  James,  one  of  the  captives,  after  three  years 
escaped,  was  recaptured,  and  barbarously  tortured  and 
then  burnt  at  the  stake  by  these  savages.  In  the  "  Giles 
Memorial  "  there  is  a  most  pathetic  and  graphic  descrip- 
tion of  this  massacre  and  destruction  of  the  fort. 

In  1692,  Sir  William  Phips,  Governor  of  Massachusetts, 
again  fortified  this  place ;  he  was  son  of  James  Phips,  and 
born  in  Woolwich,  Maine,  in  1650,  where  his  father  re- 
sided after  he  left  Pemaquid.  Governor  Phips  erected  a 
very  strong  fort ;  he  was  accompanied  by  the  celebrated 
Captain  Benjamin  Church,  the  conqueror  of  Philip,  with 
four  hundred  and  fifty  men,  to  subdue  the  Penobscot 
Indians. 

This  fortress  was  quadrangular,  its  height  on  the  south 
side  was  twenty-two  feet,  west  eighteen,  north  ten,  east 
twelve  feet,  with  a  round  tower ;  the  walls  to  eight  feet 
from  the  ground  were  six  feet  thick ;  with  a  gangway  of 
twelve  feet,  and  a  tier  of  twenty-eight  portholes  ;  mounted 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  19! 

from  fourteen  to  eighteen  guns,  six  of  which  were  eighteen 
pounders  ;  and  was  manned  with  sixty  men.  It  enclosed 
a  space  of  eight  thousand  feet  around,  and  was  called 
Fort  William  Henry,  and  cost  a  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
"  In  place  of  the  flimsy  stockade  built  by  Andross,  a 
fortress  was  erected  in  extent  and  strength  superior  to 
any  English  fort  in  America."  Governor  Phips  soon  after 
visited  England,  and  died  there  in  1694. 

Still  the  prosperity  of  Pemaquid  seemed  to  have  been 
short.  July  14,  1696,  it  was  again  attacked  and  destroyed  ; 
for  this  formidable  fort  alarmed  the  French,  and  they 
resolved  to  reduce  it.  D'Iberville  was  sent  by  Frontenac, 
governor  of  Quebec,  with  two  men  of  war  and  two  com- 
panies of  soldiers,  which  were  reenforced  at  St.  John  by 
two  hundred  Indians,  and  at  Penobscot  they  took  on  board 
the  Baron  de  Castine,  from  whom  Castine,  in  Maine, 
formerly  called  Bagaduce,  derived  its  name.  There  was 
a  garrison  of  ninety-five  men  at  Pemaquid,  and  they  were 
well  provided  with  supplies  for  a  long  siege.  Captain 
Pasco  Chubb  was  the  commander.  When  the  enemy 
demanded  a  surrender  on  the  I4th,  the  day  when  they 
landed  their  forces,  he  replied,  "  I  will  not  give  up  the 
fort  though  the  sea  be  covered  with  French  vessels,  and 
the  land  with  wild  Indians."  The  next  day,  however,  on 
the  discharge  of  five  or  six  bombs  into  the  fortification, 
Chubb,  notwithstanding  his  mighty  boast,  immediately 
surrendered.  The  character  of  this  man  had  previously 
suffered  from  perfidy  and  cruelty  to  the  Indians,  ?nd  in 
this  surrender  it  was  infamous.  But  cruelty  and  cowardice 
in  most  cases  are  closely  allied.  Having  plundered  their 


192 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 


captives,  and  partly  demolished  the  fort,  the  enemy  set 
sail  and  left  them.  Yet  the  residents  at  Pemaquid  in 
those  days  were  always  in  jeopardy.  There  was  but  little 
respite  from  the  treachery  of  the  Indians.  In  the  summer 
they  could  come  down  the  rivers  noiselessly  in  their  birch 
canoes,  in  the  winter  on  their  snow-shoes  glide  over  the 
deepest  drifts,  and  suddenly  their  painted  faces  would 
peer  out  of  the  forest,  and  they  would  pounce  upon  flock 
or  herd,  or  rush  with  tomahawk  or  firebrand  on  the 
homes  of  the  defenceless. 

Colonel  David  Dunbar,  with  the  cooperation  of  Gov- 
ernor Philips  of  Nova  Scotia,  in  i729?  repaired  this  fortifi- 
cation, called  it  Fort  Frederic,  after  the  Prince  of  Wales, 
and  garrisoned  it  with  thirty  men.  He  took  up  his 
residence  at  Pemaquid.  On  the  peninsula  he  laid  out  the 
plan  of  a  city  ;  houses  were  built,  streets  paved*  and  im- 
provements made  for  the  encouragement  of  emigrants. 
He  caused  the  trees  on  that  favorite  spot,  which  was 
deeply  wooded,  to  be  cut  down  within  a  mile  of  the  fort 
to  prevent  their  being  lurking-places  for  the  Indians. 
Under  such  auspices  Pemaquid  began  to  flourish  once 
more,  and  to  such  a  degree  that  Massachusetts,  in  1734, 
claimed  jurisdiction  over  this  territory.  Colonel  Dunbar, 
whose  conduct  met  with  disapprobation,  was  removed, 
and  Pemaquid  increased  in  population,  wealth,  and  com- 
merce, in  her  vessels  and  enterprise,  until  incorporated  as 
•  Bristol,  in  1765. 

"  After  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  the 
people  of  Bristol,  fearing  that  the  British  might  take  pos- 
session of  the  fort,  and  from  it  annoy  the  neighboring 


MFE  OF  SAMUEL  TUCKER.  193 

territory,  destroyed  the  fortifications."  —  The  Giles  Memo- 
rial, p-  547- 

That  part  where  the  fort  was  built  —  for  it  must  be  rec- 
ollected that  Pemaquid  extends  some  three  or  four  miles 
into  the  ocean,  where  the  light-house  stands  on  a  bleak 
point  —  is  a  level  piece  of  land,  two  or  three  miles  in  cir- 
cuit, forming  a  projection  nearly  surrounded  with  water. 
Southerly  is  a  wide  view  of  the  sea,  where  sails  are 
often  seen  passing  beyond  the  headland,  and  westerly  is 
Johns  River,  and  several  green  islands.  The  scenery  is 
verv  picturesque  in  every  direction  ;  woody  hills,  a  long, 
oval-shaped  harbor  in  the  north,  and  a  background  of 
dark  forest,  where  several  farms  seem  to  emerge  from  the 
woods  sloping  down  to  the  shore,  attract  the  eye.  Farther 
up  the  bay,  wild  and  craggy  banks  impend  over  the 
water.  The  entrance  to  Pemaquid  harbor  is  a  narrow 
passage,  through  which  the  tide  rushes,  and  is  apparently 
not  more  than  five  hundred  feet  in  width,  so  that  this  deep 
basin,  into  which  the  Pemaquid  River  flows,  seems  like  a 
small  lake  in  the  woods.  The  approach  to  it  is  near  the 
ruins  of  Fort  William  Henry,  well  situated  to  protect  the 
vessels  within  it  in  times  of  danger. 

The  whole  peninsula  is  now  a  farm,  where  a  goodly 
two-story  house  and  barn  on  a  gentle  rise  stands,  near  the 
ruins  of  the  fortress.  This  homestead,  like  the  Bleak 
House  of  Dickens,  is  the  only  thing  of  life  which  cheers 
the  visitor  where  the  city  of  Jamestown  once  stood.  In 
the  rear  of  the  mansion  were  wide  fields  of  grass  and  grain, 
and  in  the  distance,  by  the  northern  shore,  there  is  a 
small  cemetery,  very  ancient,  neatly  enclosed,  and  over- 
13 


194  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

run  with  bushes,  in  which  are  many  gravestones,  some 
the  memorials  of  early  settlers,  and  others  of  the  recent 
dead.  Most  of  these  graves  are  very  old  ;  one  slate  slab 
was  said  by  some  to  bear  date  of  1635,  though  others  could 
only  decipher  among  the  obliterations  the  year  1695.  There 
was  one  inscription,  which  appeared  to  be  1665  ;  but  most 
of  the  epitaphs  on  these  ancient  mossy  stones  are  too 
much  corroded  by  time  for  any  one  but  Old  Mortality, 
with  his  chisel,  to  interpret.  There  are  a  few  recent 
monuments  of  white  marble  among  these  ancient  vestiges 
of  the  dwellings  of  the  dead.  Two  graves  thus  com- 
memorated are  those  of  John  M'Kown  and  wife,  whose 
urbane  hospitality  was  well  known  in  a  past  generation. 
They  were  buried  in  sight  of  their  ancestral  farm,  on  the 
west  side  of  the  harbor. 

The  fortress,  so  celebrated  in  the  annals  of  New  Eng- 
land, was  erected  on  a  point  near  the  water.  It  rested  in 
one  corner  on  an  immense  rock,  some  ten  or  fifteen  feet  in 
height,  and  fifty  or  sixty  round,  rising  precipitously.  On 
the  sides  of  this  rock  is  a  thick  growth  of  trees  and  bushes, 
except  on  the  perpendicular  margin  near  the  steep  shore. 
It  overlooks  land  and  sea,  and  with  cannon  would  com- 
mand the  entrance  to  the  harbor.  From  the  top  of  this 
rock,  on  a  summer  evening,  when  the  sun  is  going  down, 
and  reddening  hills  and  waters,  the  view  is  magnificent. 
It  was  at  such  a  time  I  gazed  on  a  landscape  not  often 
surpassed  on  the  sea-coast  of  Maine,  which  is  so  rich  in 
scenery.  It  embraced,  as  I  looked  south,  a  glimpse  of  the 
ocean,  the  islands  in  the  mouth  of  Johns  River,  the  sails 
of  many  a  fisherman  approaching  the  land,  and  some 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  195 

vessels  at  anchor  near  the  shore ;  and  in  a  northern  direc- 
tion, Pe;naquid  Bay,  with  its  surroundings,  was  not  less 
enchanting.  This  peninsula,  then  so  green,  was  once 
covered  with  a  deep  forest;  it  is  now  a  naked  plain, 
where  only  the  voices  of  flocks  or  sea-gulls  at  a  distance 
are  heard,  or  the  murmuring  of  the  waves  touches  the  ear 
mournfully  in  remembrance  of  its  history  long,  long  ago. 
Near  the  northern  side  of  the  rock  are  two  old  cellars, 
deep  and  full  of  briers  and  small  bushes,  and  at  the  foot 
of  it  the  fragment  of  an  old  wall,  part  of  the  ancient 
fortress,  beyond  which  is  the  green  mound  of  a  rampart. 
There  is  little  more  to  remind  one  of  Fort  William  Henry, 
so  formidable  when  it  protected  this  embryo  citv,  with 
its  stores  and  houses,  gardens  and  paved  streets,  and 
the  numerous  vessels  which  frequented  those  waters.  Of 
all  this  fortification  and  busv  mart  of  commerce  scarce  a 
vestige  remains.  It  is  said  that  some  streets  and  pave- 
ments have  been  discovered,  but  the  grass  or  the  crops 
of  grain  must  have  hidden  them  from  the  view.  The 
hillocks  and  gravestones  in  the  cemetery  are  the  chief 
memorials  of  what  Jamestown  once  was. 

Yet  this  beautiful  spot  is  replete  with  many  historic 
memories  —  a  place  for  pensive  reflection  — a  cool,  retreat 
on  a  summer's  day  to  meditate  on  the  blessings  we  enjoy 
in  happy  New  England.  We  are  here  taught,  as  we  trace 
the  past,  that  whatever  the  song  of  the  poet  may  tell,  or 
the  pencil  of  the  imaginative  writer  delineate,  of  the  rural 
bliss  of  the  early  settlers  in  our  eastern  country,  even 
though  fascinating  as  the  harp  of  Longfellow  on  Acadia. 
yet  the  deep  and  awful  shadows  of  Indian  warfare  rest  on 


196  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

the  mind  when  we  think  of  the  poor  emigrants  butchered 
at  their  doors,  or  flying  from  their  burning  habitations. 
There  is  no  sublimity  in  the  tomahawk,  no  music  in  the 
warwhoop  of  the  savage. 

But  it  is  time  to  return  to  the  subject  of  this  memoir, 
after  so  long  a  digression,  which  it  is  hoped  may  not  be 
tedious  to  the  reader.  The  history  of  Bristol  *  is  a  history 
of  one  of  the  first  settlements  in  Maine,  and  Pemaquid 
stands  prominent  for  its  importance  in  the  early  com- 
merce of  New  England. 

A  few  years  since  I  passed  by  Commodore  Tucker's 
dwelling  with  his  grandson,  Colonel  Hinds.  It  was  a 
substantial,  neat  building,  of  two  stories,  painted  white, 
and  well  suited  for  a  farm-house  ;  it  is  situated  on  a  bleak 
rise,  and  though  very  retired  from  the  great  world,  its 
cities  and  railroads,  it  stands  on  a  pleasant  spot,  sur- 
rounded by  hills  and  dales,  and  in  view  of  the  Camclen 
Mountains.  This  location  was  once  a  part  of  Bristol,  but 
is  now  in  Bremen,  which  was  taken  from  the  northern 
end  of  that  town  and  incorporated  in  1828. 

Here  he  followed  the  avocation  of  a  farmer  the  re- 
mainder of  his  days.  His  habits  were  invariably  industri- 
ous. He  labored  hard,  rose  early,  and  suiting  the  manner 
of  his  life  to  the  color  of  his  destiny,  he  soon  learned  to 
plough,  sow,  drive  oxen,  and  do  the  work  of  a  farmer  ;  but 

*  With  pleasure  the  author  acknowledges,  among  his  various 
authorities,  hrs  indebtedness  for  many  facts  in  the  above  account  of 
Pemaquid,  to  "Williamson's  History  of  Maine,"  "The  Gilo* 
Memorial,"  by  the  Rev.  John  Adams  Vinton;  and  to  "Ancient 
Pemaquid,"  by  J.  Wingate  Thornton,  Esq. 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER.  197 

he  said  he  could  never  mow.  Probably  that  art,  like 
elegant  handwriting,  is  seldom,  if  ever,  acquired  in  age. 
The  cultivation  of  a  garden  was  his  peculiar  delight ;  it 
was  more  congenial  to  his  taste  than  agriculture.  What- 
ever he  did,  he  was  active  and  cheerful,  for  nature  had 
blessed  him  with  a  perennial  fountain  of  animal  spirits. 
In  the  winter  season  he  taught  navigation,  and  several 
able  and  efficient  mariners  owe  to  his  instruction  their 
accuracy  and  skill  in  keeping  a  log-book. 

He  was  fond  of  reading,  when  not  occupied  on  his 
farm.  His  social  powers  were  great,  and  he  delighted  in 
pleasant  company.  At  his  fireside,  when  a  circle  of 
listeners  gathered  round  him  and  touched  a  chord  of  his 
early  reminiscences,  he  \vas  in  his  glory.  His  voice  rose, 
his  eye  kindled,  his  broad  breast  heaved  with  exultation 
as  he  narrated  the  stirring  sea-fights  and  hair-breadth 
escapes  in  his  numerous  cruises  during  the  war  of  the 
Revolution.  To  have  heard  him  at  such  a  time  must 
have  been  like  the  charm  of  Mrs.  Fanny  Kemblc's  read- 
ings of  Shakspeare,  or  that  of  Dickens  in  the  life- 
pictured  works  of  his  own  genius. 

Sometimes  he  would  mount  his  horse  and  ride  over  to 
Waldoboro',  to  see  his  old  friend  the  late  Benjamin 
Brown,  M.  D.,  an  able  physician  and  excellent  man, 
who  was  his  surgeon  in  the  frigate  Boston  when  he  took 
out  Mr.  Adams  to  France  ;  or  he  would  extend  his  visit 
still  farther,  and  call  on  his  honored  friend  General  Knox, 
who  was  then  living  in  splendor  at  his  elegant  mansion 
on  the  banks  of  the  St.  George,  in  Thomaston.  He  was 
a  fine  horseman  —  an  accomplishment  very  unusual  in 


198  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

mariners.  It  is  said  that  in  the  Revolution,  when  he 
was  paying  his  respects  to  General  Washington  at 
Morristovvn,  the  general  remarked  of  him,  that  "  he 
was  the  best  rider  he  had  ever  met  with  for  a  seaman  ;  " 
and  who  could  be  a  better  judge  than  one  whose 
magnificent  figure  on  horseback  was  the  charm  of  all 
observers  ? 

His  generosity  to  the  poor  and  destitute  where  he  lived 
was  proverbial.  Indeed,  he  was  too  ready  to  lend  or 
give  money  whenever  a  piteous  tale  touched  his  heart. 
He  could  not  endure  to  see  any  human  being  suffer, 
or  even  the  dumb  creation  afflicted  wantonly.  All 
his  aged  acquaintances  who  have  survived  him  —  and 
I  have  seen  many  within  ten  years  —  spoke  with  en- 
thusiasm of  this  trait  in  his  character,  and  called  him 
a  generous  person. 

In  a  very  interesting  notice  of  Tucker,  published  in  the 
New  England  Magazine,  some  years  since  (Vol.  II.  p. 
138),  written  by  the  late  Joseph  T.  Buckingham,  he  is 
described  as  a  man  of  better  manners  and  less  severity 
than  Commodore  Jones  ;  and  he  mentions  a  fact  evincing 
his  great  power  of  endurance  —  that  at  one  period  he  kept 
his  place  on  deck  during  the  chase  of  an  enemy's  ship 
seventy  hours  ;  and  then  his  sleep  was  like  the  sleep  of 
death  —  a  forty-two  pounder  at  his  side  would  not  have 
waked  him. 

His  wife  is  reported  to  have  been  a  very  intelligent  and 
superior  woman,  of  a  lively  disposition  and  religious 
frame  of  mind.  He  was  greatly  attached  to  her.  She 
was  the  daughter  of  a  worthy  and  esteemed  citizen  of 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 


I99 


Marblchead,  Deacon  Samuel  Gatchell.  With  such  u 
partner  his  domestic  life  was  happy.  She  was  the  bride 
of  his  youth  and  the  ornament  of  his  gray  hairs.  She  was 
spared  to  him  a  great  length  of  time  —  sixty-three  years. 
By  her  he  had  five  children  :  Mary,  who  married  Captain 
Benjamin  Hinds,  in  December,  1789;  Martha,  who 
married  John  Tedder,  and  died  October  21,  1805  »  Samuel, 
who  died  September  5,  1776;  Betsey,  who  died  Decem- 
ber S,  1781,  and  a  son  named  after  his  deceased  brother 
Samuel. 

His  daughter  Mary's  husband,  Captain  Hinds,  was  an 
able  shipmaster ;  and  when,  towards  the  end  of  the  last 
century,  a  war  was  expected  with  France,  he  commanded 
the  letter  of  marque  Hercules,  eighteen  guns.  She  was 
lost  in  1799.  Captain  Hinds  and  crew  took  to  an  open 
boat,  where  their  sufferings  for  twenty-seven  days  were  so 
intense  and  terrible,  that  on  their  arrival  at  Cork,  in  Ire- 
land, all  died  except  one  and  the  captain  ;  and  on  the  I2th  of 
April,  1799,  on  his  way  home,  Hinds  fell  a  sacrifice  to  the 
exposure.  His  widow  afterwards  removed  to  her  father's, 
in  Bristol,  and  died  a  few  years  since.  Their  son,  Colonel 
Samuel  Tucker  Hinds,  is  now  the  only  representative  of 
the  family  in  the  third  generation. 

The  youngest  son,  Samuel,  born  March  2,  1778,  fol- 
lowed the  sea,  and  though  not  eighteen  years  of  age,  went 
out  mate  in  a  merchantman  to  the  West  Indies  ;  there  he 
was  cut  off  by  the  fever,  December  23,  1795,  to  the  great 
grief  of  his  parents,  who  had  reason  to  mourn  the  loss  of 
a  son  of  much  promise. 

The  following  letter,  written,  it  is  presumed,  to  a  clergy- 


2OO  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

man  in  Marblchead,  who  had  condoled  with  the  com- 
modore in  his  affliction,  is  so  fraught  with  feeling,  and  so 
well  expressed,  that  it  reflects  honor  on  the  heart  and 
head  of  the  veteran  mourner.  It  is  pleasing  to  see  the 
dreariness  of  grief  united  with  such  a  submissive  spirit,  as 
this  touching  and  unaffected  reply  evinces. 

BRISTOL,  4th  March,  1796. 

REVEREND  SIR  :  The  sudden  change  and  late  event  in 
my  family  being  deeply  impressed  on  my  mind  at  this 
sorrowful  hour  of  tribulation,  almost  makes  me  forget  to 
acknowledge  gratefully,  what  I  shall  ever  esteem  with 
pleasing  remembrance,  your  very  great  attention  to  me 
and  my  distressed  consort,  bearing  date  of  the  2oth  of 
February  past,  which  I  must  acknowledge  was  at  such  a 
mournful  period  a  great  consolation  on  the  death  of  our 
only  son.  Distresses  we  are  constantly  liable  to,  and 
with  me,  as  well  as  many  others,  they  have  often  been 
repeated.  But  I  desire  to  thank  the  great  Disposer  of 
all  human  events,  that  my  trouble  is  no  greater :  know- 
ing it  is  the  mighty  arm  of  God,  I  therefore  submissively 
acknowledge  the  justice  thereof.  Although  our  bereave- 
ment at  present  is  great,  almost  too  hard  for  nature  to 
bear,  still  we  ought  cheerfully  to  submit  to  the  will  of 
our  all-wise  Creator  in  all  his  dispensations. 

Sir,  please  to  accept  our  sincere  thanks  for  your  attend- 
ance on  our  children,  as  well  as  the  notice  you  have 
taken  of  me  and  Mrs.  Tucker,  being  secluded  from 
your  vicinity,  and  without  the  least  personal  acquaintance 
imaginable.  And  we  shall  be  always  glad  in  hearing 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER.  2OI 

from  you,  when  you   may  think  it  convenient ;  and  we 
gratefully  acknowledge  the  notice  of  all  our  friends  ;  and 
with  great  fervency  subscribe  ourselves, 
Yours,  ever  ready  to  serve, 

SAMUEL  AND  MARY  TUCKER. 

REV.  EBENEZER  HUBBARD,  Marblehead. 


2O2 


CHAPTER    XI. 

SQUATTER  TROUBLES  IN  MAINE.  —  INSURRECTION.  — 
THE  GREAT  TRIAL  OF  THE  MURDERERS  OF  PAUL 
CHADWICK.  —  ADJUSTMENT  OF  ALL  DIFFICULTIES  BY 
THE  LEGISLATURE. 

SEVERAL  years  of  peace  and  quietness  had  passed 
away  in  the  family  of  Tucker,  when  there  arose  a 
great  flood  of  litigation  and  distress  among  the  settlers  on 
a  large  tract  of  land  lying  between  the  Kenncbec  and 
Penobscot  Rivers.  Several  towns  and  plantations  were 
embraced  in  this  tract,  and  Bristol  became  deeply  in- 
volved in  questions  of  tenancy  and  title. 

The  claims  set  up  by  the  proprietors  were  founded  on 
various  grants  and  conveyances.  There  were  the  Brown 
Right,  derived  from  a  purchase  of  July  15,  1625,  already 
alluded  to  ;  the  Grant  of  the  Duke  of  York  in  1664  ;  the 
Patent  of  the  Plymouth  Company  ;  the  Drowne  Right ; 
the  Tappan  Right,  and  many  latent  titles  emerging  from 
the  archives  of  speculators. 

The  history  of  these  claims,  and  the  numerous  suits 
founded  on  them,  would  fill  volumes  of  dry  reading ; 
but  as  Commodore  Tucker  was  a  landholder  in  Bristol, 
became  a  party  concerned  in  this  litigation,  and  took  a 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER.  203 

deep  interest  in  the  adjustment  of  the  suits  in  which  he 
and  his  fellow-townsmen  were  entangled,  some  account 
of  the  serious  difficulties  which  threatened  the  peace  of 
tiie  community  will  not  be  out  of  place  in  this  work,  for 
1809  was  a  dark  year  in  Maine.  She  was  on  the  eve  of 
an  agrarian  war. 

There  had  been  much  anxiety  and  heart-burning  in 
:he  minds  of  a  large  class  of  people,  called  "  squatters  ;  " 
men  who,  by  purchase  from  pretended  proprietors,  or 
from  imperfect  conveyances,  or  by  improvement  of  lands 
either  with  or  without  color  of  title,  had  entered  on 
lots  purporting  to  be  a  hundred  acres,  cleared  up  a  part 
of  the  premises,  built  log  huts  or  houses,  and  raised  up 
families.  Numerous  suits,  ejectments,  and  bitter  quarrels 
were  the  result.  In  some  cases  the  consequences  to  the 
hard  laboring  yeoman,  who  had  already  paid  for  his  land, 
were  peculiarly  severe  and  oppressive.  It  was  not  long 
before  a  whispering  was  heard  in  the  woodlands  about 
the  principle  and  application  of  the  new  discovery  in 
ethics,  -T-  the  "  Higher  Law,"  —  and  very  soon  there  fol- 
lowed combinations  to  take  their  rights  into  their  own 
hand. 

To  remedy  these  evils,  the  legislature  of  Massachusetts 
in  1807,  under  the  administration  of  Governor  Sullivan, 
passed  an  Act  of  Limitation,  in  which  was  embodied 
a  quieting  provision,  commonly  called  the  Betterment 
Lav/.  Section  third  provides,  "  That  where  any  action 
has  been,  or  may  hereafter  be,  commenced  against  any 
person  for  the  recovery  of  any  lands  or  tenements  which 
sach  person  now  holds  by  virtue  of  a  possession  and  im- 


204  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

provement,  and  which  the  tenant  or  person,  under  whom 
he  claims,  has  had  in  actual  possession  for  the  term  of  six 
years,  or  more,  before  the  commencement  of  such  action, 
the  jury  which  tries  the  same,  if  they  find  a  verdict  for 
the  demandant,  shall  (if  the  tenant  request  the  same)  also 
inquire,  and  by  their  verdict  ascertain  the  increased  value 
of  the  premises,  at  the  time  of  trial,  by  virtue  of  the  build- 
ings and  improvements  made  by  such  tenant,  or  those 
under  whom  he  may  claim  ;  and  (if  the  demandant  shall 
require  it)  what  would  have  been  the  value  of  the 
demanded  premises,  had  no  buildings  or  improvements 
been  made  by  such  tenant,  or  those  under  whom  he  may 
claim."  The  demandant  then  could  elect  to  abandon  the 
premises  to  the  tenant  at  the  price  set  by  the  jury,  and 
receive  his  money,  or  pay  the  tenant  for  his  improvement, 
with  interest,  as  in  said  statute  provided.  It  is  unneces- 
sary here  to  refer  to  other  provisions  of  this  statute. 

The  operation  of  this  law  in  Maine  was  often  severe  on 
the  proprietor,  because  he  usually  lived  at  a  distance  from 
the  disputed  premises,  and  the  tenant  resided  on  them,  and 
in  the  county  where  the  lands  lay.  and  in  the  visnc  of  the 
jury.  Consequently  the  value  of  the  improvements  was 
generally  estimated  at  the  highest  rate,  and  the  land,  in  a 
state  of  nature,  at  the  lowest.  On  this  account,  and  for 
other  reasons,  the  constitutionality  of  the  Betterment  Act 
was  called  in  question,  but  the  courts  sustained  it.  This 
statute,  with  some  modifications,  has  become  a  permanent 
law  ;  and  whenever  it  has  been  applied,  with  due  regard  to 
the  just  rights  of  parties,  it  has  been  found  salutary  in  its 
tendency  and  remedial  in  its  operation. 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  205 

The  courts  in  Penobscot  and  Kennebec,  session  after 
session,  resounded  with  the  names  of  ancient  proprietors, 

—  Brown,   Drowne,  Tappan,  Plymouth  Company,  Fifty 
Associates,  and  others.     Old  musty  grants  were  spread  out 
from  the  Waldo  Patent  and  Pejepscot  Purchase.     Deeds 
and    documents   rose    up   before   the   jury,  and  lacerated 
plans  and  time-worn  maps,  with  their  ragged  lines  and 
boundaries,  were  cautiously  unrolled  to  the  jury.     Grizzly- 
bearded  surveyors  swore  to  their  copies,  and  aged  wit- 
nesses, leaning  on  their  staves,  like  apparitions  from  the 
grave,  filled  the  ear  with  landmarks  of  every  kind,  chops 
in  trees,  curvatures  and  angles  in  brooks,  boundaries  of 
stakes  and  stones,  and  curious  monuments  in  nature.     A 
land  trial  of  this  kind  was  sure  to  empty  the  court-house 
of  spectators,  and  even  scatter  for  awhile  the  gentlemen 
of  the  green  bag. 

The  Ter-tenant  generally  found  the  ingenuity  of  the 
law  too  strong  for  him,  and  at  last  came  to  the  conclusion 

—  which   some  ivise  heads  in    modern  times  have  pro- 
nounced the  perfection  of  reason  —  to  resist  the  statutes  in 
such  cases  made  and  provided,  because  they  deemed  them 
unjust.     The  consequence  was  an  agrarian  insurrection. 
Companies  were  organized,  armed  and  equipped  in  vari- 
ous  sections  of  the  country,  particularly  in  Malta,  cast 
of  Augusta,  now  called  Windsor,  in  Palermo,  Jefferson, 
Alna,  Patricktown  Plantation,  —  as  unincorporated  settle- 
ments were  called,  —  and  in  Nobleborough,  and  Bristol. 
The  insurgents  lived  principally  between  the  Kennebec 
and  Penobscot ;  the  tract,  where  the  disputes  originated, 
was  larger  than  a  German  principality,  watered  with  fine 


2O6  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

streams  and  ponds,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  many  beautiful 
towns  and  villages. 

The  alarm  increased  ;  savage  threaten!  ngs  were  whis- 
pered about ;  suspicious  persons  in  groups  met  at  the  grog- 
shops in  villages ;  land  agents,  surveyors,  and  proprietors 
were  denounced  with  a  vengeance.  Travellers  on  the 
lonely  highway,  or  passing  in  paths  through  fields  or 
woods,  were  eyed  sharply,  and  often  interrupted  by  strange 
questions.  The  danger  grew  formidable,  for  these  in- 
surgents were  men  of  industrious  habits  and  good  char- 
acter, the  very  bone  and  muscle  of  the  country. 

Such  was  the  aspect  of  a  rebellion  in  the  heart  of 
Maine,  then  a  district,  where  thousands  of  landholders 
were  leagued  together  to  resist  the  officers  of  the  law 
touching  their  homesteads ;  when  Paul  Chadwick,  a 
chain-man,  employed  by  a  public  surveyor,"  was  coolly 
and  deliberately  shot  while  in  the  performance  of  his  duty, 
at  Malta.  The  crime  was  committed  on  the  8th  of 
September,  1809,  by  Elijah  Barton  and  six  others,  who 
were  arrested,  and  at  a  session  of  the  Supreme  Court  at 
the  October  term  of  that  year,  indicted  for  the  murder. 

To  preserve  the  peace,  and  prevent  the  threatened 
rescue  of  the  prisoners  from  the  jail,  a  large  body  of 
militia  was  ordered  to  be  in  readiness ;  and  several  com- 
panies, detached  and  under  arms,  guarded  Augusta  from 
the  time  the  prisoners  were  in  custody  until  the  trial  was 
over.  A  cordon  of  troops  surrounded  the  jail,  and  the 
greatest  vigilance  was  maintained.  Rumors  were  afloat 
that  the  insurgents  would  set  the  town  on  fire  in  the 
night,  and  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  river,  where  the  old 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  207 

block  garrisons,  called  Fort  Western,  stood,  there  was 
great  alarm  in  all  the  house.s. 

A  full  court  was  specially  convened  for  an  early  trial 
of  the  prisoners.  Chief  Justice  Sedgwick,  with  Justices 
Sewall,  Thacher,  and  Parker,  composed  the  bench.  On 
the  night  of  the  first  day  of  the  term,  when  the  grand 
jury  was  in  session,  the  greatest  fear  of  danger  prevailed. 
A  band  of  armed  men,  in  the  costume  of  Indians,  supposed 
to  be  seventy,  under  the  veil  of  darkness,  came  from  the 
hills  of  Malta,  through  the  woods,  and  was  seen  hovering 
on  the  outskirts  of  the  dwellings,  within  half  a  mile  of  the 
Kennebec  Bridge.  One  of  them  was  captured  by  Major 
Weeks,  who,  with  a  small  force,  was  stationed  on  the 
height  of  land  near  the  junction  of  the  county  road  ;  but 
the  insurgents  rushed  down,  rescued  the"  captive,  and  took 
Major  Weeks  himself  prisoner.  After  carrying  him  into  a 
deep  wood,  they  let  him  return  unharmed.  The  news  of 
this  capture  ran  like  wildfire.  The  court  bell  rang,  the 
bells  of  Augusta,  and  Hallowell  two  miles  below,  re- 
sponded as  to  a  cry  of  fire,  and  the  inhabitants  of  both 
settlements  were  roused  from  their  slumbers. 

"  Tempus  erat,  quo  prima  quies  mortalibus  zegris 
Incipit  et  dono  divtlm  gratissima  serpit." —  Virgil. 

It  was  at  that  hour  of  night  when  sleep,  the  gift  of  Heaven, 
begins  to  creep  most  sweetly  into  the  bosoms  of  wearied 
mortals. 

The  night  was  dark,  and  each  family  started  from  their 
beds.  They  believed  the  tocsin  was  not  without  cause, 
and  the  threats  of  the  squatters,  and  dreadful  imaginings 


2C>8  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

of  coming  evil,  added  to  the  gloom  of  the  midnight  hour. 
The  artillery  and  light  infantry  companies  of  Hallowell, 
and  detachments  from  neighboring  towns,  were  roused, 
and  soon  marched  in  double-quick  time  to  the  relief  of 
Augusta.  Within  two  or  three  hours  a  brigade  was  on 
the  spot,  under  the  command  of  Major-General  Henry 
Sewall — a  veteran  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  and  then  at 
the  head  of  the  eighth  division.  One  who  was  under 
arms  that  night  describes  the  scene  as  filled  with  sublime 
emotion.  In  ascending  the  hills  between  Hallowell  and 
Augusta,  thousands  of  lights  gleamed  from  the  houses ; 
and  the  tramp  of  troops,  and  martial  music,  echoing  at 
midnight  over  the  waters  from  cliff  to  cliff,  must  have 
alarmed  the  insurgent  mountaineers,  and  taught  them  that 
it  would  be  hopeless  to  contend  with  such  a  force. 

Soldiers  were  stationed  in  dense  ranks  around  the  jail : 
loaded  artillery  was  pointed  to  sweep  the  two  main  streets  ; 
and  outguards  were  posted  at  the  bridge,  and  on  the  hill 
above  it.  But  the  night  passed  without  attack  or  blood- 
shed. There  were  a  few  more  alarms.  In  one  case  a 
distant  gun  having  been  accidentally  discharged,  the  out- 
posts retreated  to  the  bridge,  reporting,  "  they  were  com- 
ing!" but  they  came  not.  All  was.  soon  quiet,  daylight 
dawned,  and  the  terrors  were  dispelled. 

Beyond  doubt  it  was  the  intention  of  the  insurgents  to 
rescue  the  prisoners,  but  not  to  commit  any  depredation. 
or  to  set  fire  to  the  shire  town  ;  and  the}'  were  compelled 
to  desist  from  any  further  attempt,  when  they  found  that 
General  Sewall  had  a  large  body  of  troops  in  defence,  and 
their  spies  saw  a  vacant  plain  in  Augusta  —  now  adorned 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  209 

with  handsome  houses,  streets,  and  gardens — converted 
into  a  tented  field,  from  which  the  reveille  and  vesper 
drum  could  be  heard  on  the  distant  hills  where  they  were 
assembled. 

The  court  was  opened  for  trial ;  the  bar  was  crowded, 
the  press  of  spectators  around  was  dense.  The  prisoners, 
each  in  manacles,  were  brought  in  from  the  cells  of  the 
jail  by  a  strong  posse  of  police  officers,  through  a  lane 
formed  by  double  ranks  of  soldiers.  They  were  put  to 
the  bar,  and  the  indictment  for  murder  read  by  the  late 
John  Davis,  Esq.,  the  eloquent  and  accomplished  clerk  of 
that  county,  in  a  slow  and  solemn  voice.  The  tone  in 
which  he  uttered,  "Jurors,  look  upon  the  prisoners;  pris- 
oners, look  upon  the  jury  :  "  and  then,  "  God  give  you  a 
safe  deliverance  !  "  seemed  to  impress  the  mind  like  the 
earthquake  in  the  stillness  of  night. 

The  defendants  were  all  tried  together,  and  each  one 
plead  "  not  guilty."  They  were  seven  young  men,  stout, 
muscular,  and  with  hands  and  brows  marked  by  the 
wrinkles  of  hard  labor.  Their  names  were  Elijah  Bar- 
ton, David  Lynn,  Jabez  Meigs,  Prince  Cain,  Ansel 
Meigs,  and  Adam  Pitts.  Elijah  Barton,  their  ring- 
leader, was  a  young  man,  prepossessing  in  appearance 
-•—tall  in  stature,  formed  like  an  athlete,  with  an  eye  of 
command,  goodly  features,  ruddy  complexion,  and  curly 
hair.  He  might  be  called  a  handsome  fellow  :  as  to  the 
rest,  there  was  nothing  remarkable  in  their  looks ;  rough, 
but  not  savage.  The  look  of  Barton  was  sad,  yet  firm 
and  unchanged  during  the  whole  trial ;  not  a  muscle  in 
his  face  moved,  nor  did  he  betrav  any  weakness. 

H 


2IO  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

Two  gentlemen  of  distinguished  abilities,  then  at  the 
head  of  the  bar  of  Maine,  were  engaged  in  the  defence, 
—  Samuel  S.  Wilde,  of  Hallowell,  and  Prentiss  Mellen, 
of  Portland, — each  of  whom  have  since  been  eminently 
honored  by  promotion  to  the  bench.  Mr.  Wilde  was 
appointed  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Massachusetts 
in  1815,  and  Mr.  Mellen,  Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  State  of  Maine  in  1820.  Par  nobilcfratrum. 
They  died  venerable  in  years,  honored  for  their  rank  and 
erudition,  and  beloved  for  their  goodness. 

In  behalf  of  the  government  was  the  elegant,  and  very 
able  solicitor,  Daniel  Davis,  Esq.,  whose  winning  address 
and  flowing  eloquence  will  always  live  in  the  memory  of 
those  who  knew  him.  And  he  is  gone  from  us!  —  of 
whom  that  great  jurist,  Judge  Story,  was  said  in  his  life- 
time to  have  remarked,  "  Daniel  Davis  was  one  of  the 
most  compact  and  eloquent  speakers  in  the  United 
States." 

A  detail  of  the  testimony  of  the  witnesses,  and  the  argu- 
ments of  the  learned  counsel,  may  be  found  in  the  elaborate 
report  of  this  trial  by  John  Merrick,  Esq.  Suffice  it  to 
say,  the  evidence  was  clear  and  plenary.  Six  of  the 
criminals  had  voluntarily  confessed  their  guilt,  and  the 
statement  of  the  dying  man  confirmed  their  declaration. 
The  trial  lasted  ten  days :  forty  four  witnesses  were 
examined. 

Judge  Parker,  —  afterwards  Chief  Justice  of  Massachu- 
setts,—  being  the  youngest  judge  on  the  bench,  first 
charged  the  jury,  and  when  he  had  finished,  Chief  Justice 
Sedgwick  observed,  "  that  it  was  the  intention  of  the  whole 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  211 

court  to  give  separate  charges  in  this  trial ;  but  our  brother 
Parker  has  so  fully  taken  a  view  of  the  evidence,  so 
entirely  corresponding  with  our  opinions,  that  we  shall 
forbear  to  make  further  observations,  except  to  implore 
the  Father  of  Lights  to  aid  you  in  your  deliberations  on 
this  solemn  occasion." 

On  Saturday  morning  the  jury  came  into  court,  and 
amidst  the  death-like  silence  and  suppresed  breathings 
of  the  spectators,  the  foreman  pronounced  the  prisoners 
"  not  guilty  !  " 

Such  is  a  summary  of  this  great  trial  —  the  most  im- 
portant which  ever  transpired  in  Maine;  the  exponent 
of  an  insurrection,  the  most  serious  and  alarming  since 
Shays'  rebellion.  Its  history  is  now  among  the  things  of 
the  past.  Upon  the  actors  on  that  forensic  stage  of  elo- 
quence the  curtain  has  long  since  dropped.  Chief  Justice 
Sedgwick,  and  his  associates  Sewall,  Thacher,  Parker, 
and  Daniel  Davis,  and  John  Davis,  and  Colonel  Arthur 
Lithgow,  the  hospitable  high  sheriff,  brother  of  General 
Lithgow,  distinguished  in  the  Revolution,  and  the  two 
great  advocates  Mellen  and  Wilde,  have  paid  the  debt  of 
nature.  And  to  these  let  me  add  spectators  of  distinction 
who  were  present,  Judge  Bridge,  Judge  Fuller,  and  Benja- 
min Whitwell,  Esq.,  members  of  the  profession,  and  the 
great  philanthropist  and  scholar,  Benjamin  Vaughan, 
LL.  D.,  with  other  magnates  of  that  region,  then  listeners 
to  the  learning  of  the  bench,  or  charmed  with  the  eloquence 
of  the  counsel,  all  of  whom  have  departed ;  but  their 
portraits  are  preserved  in  the  picture-gallery  of  memory. 
More  than  half  a  century  has  produced  great  changes, 


212  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

where  this  trial  was  held.  The  old  wooden  court-house 
has  given  way  to  a  more  splendid  forum.  Augusta  has 
become  a  city  and  the  seat  of  government,  with  a  superb 
State  House  and  various  improvements  ;  while  squatter 
sovereignty  has  passed  away  with  the  dreams  of  the  past. 
The  result  of  this  homicide  and  trial,  however,  was, 
upon  the  whole,  salutary.  Proprietors  became  more 
cautious  and  prudent,  tenants  and  occupiers  of  land  less 
violent.  Commodore  Tucker  saw  and  felt  the  disturbed 
state  of  the  country,  being,  as  a  landholder  in  Bristol, 
personally  interested.  It  was  his  advice  to  appeal  to  the 
legislature  for  redress.  There  is  not  a  shadow  of  evidence, 
nor  was  it.  ever  reported  among  his  neighbors,  that  he  was 
in  favor  of  acts  of  violence.  He  perceived  that  there  was 
a  great  wrong  and  injustice  somewhere,  and  the  course  he 
pursued  was  honorable  and  worthy  of  a  good  citizen.  lie 
resorted  to  a  respectful  memorial  to  the  legislature,  and 
persuaded  .the  other  aggrieved  parties  to  do  the  same. 
The  town  of  Bristol  chose  a  committee  for  this  purpose, 
composed  of  six  from  among  their  oldest  and  best  citizens, 
viz.,  Samuel  Tucker,  Robert  Askins,  William  Rogers, 
William  M'Clintock,  Marius  Howe,  and  Sullivan  Hardy. 
The  commodore,  as  chairman,  drew  up  two  petitions  ;  one 
to  the  General  Court,  and  one  to  Eldridge  Gerry,  Governor 
of  Massachusetts,  setting  forth  their  grievances,  "  because 
men  with  different  claims  pretended,  from  ancient  letters 
patent  and  Indian  deeds,  to  hold  the  lands  which  they 
and  their  predecessors  had  purchased  more  than  once 
with  their  blood  and  money;"  and  praying  relief,  "be- 
cause threatened  with  immediate  expulsion  from  lands 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  213 

held  in  possession  forty,  fifty,  sixty,  seventy,  and  eighty 
years,  for  which  they  paid  taxes,  defended  them  against 
the  savages  in  1756,  and  fought  against  the  British  in 
1775  to  1783,  when  every  fourth  man  in  Bristol  was 
drawn  a  soldier." 

And  to  Governor  Gerry,  October  2,  1810,  a  similar 
petition  was  sent,  praying,  moreover,  that  his  Excellency 
would  "  countermand  the  orders  of  the  Honorable  Judge 
Thacher  for  a  survey,  and  calling  out  five  hundred  of  the 
militia  to  aid  in  running  land  in  Bristol,  settled  from  forty 
to  eighty  years,"  and  furthermore  praying  "  for  the 
removal  of  Judge  Thacher,  because  he  had  violated  the 
glorious  constitution." 

This  petition,  and  others  of  the  like  purport  from  several 
towns,  were  not  without  effect.  In  the  mean  time,  it  was 
reported  that  Colonel  Samuel  Thacher  was  coming  with 
James  Malcolm,  a  noted  surveyor,  at  the  head  of  his 
regiment,  to  protect  the  officer  in  executing  the  mandate 
of  the  Supreme  Court,  to  run  out  the  lines  in  the  disputed 
lands  ;  but  Commodore  Tucker  either  sent  a  messenger  or 
a  letter  to  him,  stating  that  the  minds  of  the  people  of 
Bristol  were  so  highly  excited  that  there  would  be  blood- 
shed if  he  should  attempt  to  execute  the  order  of  the 
court,  and  it  being  known  that  petitions  to  the  legislature 
for  redress  were  pending,  the  proceedings  were  wisely 
suspended.  Governor  Gerry,  in  his  message  to  the  legisla- 
ture, of  January  25,  iSn,  informs  them  that  alarming 
difficulties  had  arisen  in  Maine,  and  that  Brigadier-Gen- 
eral Payson,  of  Wiscasset,  had  been  required  to  call  out 
five  hundred  militia  to  aid  in  the  legal  survey  of  certain 


214  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

lands  in  Bristol ;  but  Mr.  Malcolm,  the  surveyor,  saw 
"  the  imprudence  of  proceeding,"  and  begged  to  decline 
the  duty. 

The  legislature  soon  after  took  np  the  matter,  and  a 
committee  was  appointed,  who  made  their  return  February 
27,  1811,  and  having  examined  the  subject  fully,  reported 
an  order,  from  which  the  following  extract  is  made : 
"  Ordered,  that  his  Excellency  the  Governor  be,  and  he 
hereby  is  authorized  and  requested  to  appoint  three  com- 
missioners to  take  into  consideration  his  message  to  the 
two  branches  of  the  legislature,  relative  to  the  disturbances 
in  the  County  of  Lincoln,  with  the  documents  accompany- 
ing the  same,  and  also  to  take  into  consideration  the 
memorial  from  the  inhabitants  of  the  towns  of  Bristol, 
Edgecomb,  Nobleboro',  Newcastle,  and  Boothbay,  and 
the  memorial  signed  by  Samuel  Tucker  and  others,  all 
which  are  now  pending  before  the  General  Court."  This 
alone  was  evidence  enough  to  show  the  active  and  in- 
fluential part  which  Tucker  took  in  resorting  to  legal 
and  peaceable  measures  in  this  agrarian  insurrection. 

The  order  was  passed,  and  Perez  Morton,  Jonathan 
Smith,  Junior,  and  Thomas  B.  Adams,  were  appointed 
commissioners.  They  met  at  Wiscasset,  April  n,  1811, 
after  due  notice  to  the  five  towns  aforesaid,  and  to  Samuel 
Tucker,  and  having  examined  the  deeds,  vouchers,  and 
documents,  and  after  an  investigation,  as  ordered,  of  the 
nature,  causes,  and  state  of  the  difficulties  between  the 
proprietors  and  tenants,  among  other  matters  reported, 
that  "  the  Drowne  Claim  covered  the^  town  of  Bristol," 
and  "  that  the  Tappan  Right,  and  Brown  Right,  as 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  215 

claimed,  each  covers  most  of  Bristol."  Under  such  old, 
musty,  clashing  claims,  for  the  most  part  hunted  up  by 
prowling  speculators,  who  'can  wonder  that  the  poor, 
hard-working  husbandmen  should  have  risen,  peaceably 
if  they  could,  forcibly  if  they  must,  against  such  cruel 
oppression? 

The  result  was.  that  the  legislature  wisely  enacted  a 
remedial  statute.  Jeremiah  Smith,  of  Exeter,  N.  H., 
William  II.  Woodward,  of  Hanover,  N.  H.,  and  David 
Howell,  of  Providence,  R.  L,  men  of  eminence  in  legal 
science,  were  authorized  in  behalf  of  Massachusetts,  to 
buy  out  the  proprietors  by  an  equivalent  in  other  lands  of 
the  Commonwealth  —  much  like  the  British  nation  buying 
out  the  slave-owners  in  the  emancipation  of  Jamaica. 
The  commissioners  performed  their  duty  in  a  way  and 
manner  honorable  and  satisfactory  to  all  concerned. 

To  end  these  controversies  by  an  eternal  quietus,  the 
General  Court,  February  25,  1813,  appointed  two  agents 
to  give  deeds  of  release  to  the  settlers,  on  each  one  paying 
Jive  dollars  in  cases  where  the  tenant  or  his  assignee 
had  been  in  possession  before  January  i,  1789,  and  in  all 
cases  after  that  time  thirty  cents  per  acre,  on  a  tract  not 
exceeding  two  hundred  acres.  The  Honorable  Benjamin 
Orr,  of  Brunswick,  and  Jeremiah  Bailey,  of  Wiscasset, 
were  appointed  agents  to  make  the  deeds  —  the  first,  a 
very  distinguished  and  eloquent  lawyer,  the  other,  Judge 
of  Probate  for  the  county  of  Lincoln,  a  sound  counsellor 
and  excellent  man.  These,  too,  have  passed  away  ;  teach- 
ing us,  as  we  approach  the  shadows  of  the  dark  mountains, 
that  the  drama  of  life  is  but  for  a  moment. 


2l6  LIFE   OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

This  transaction  occurred  at  the  period  of  the  last  war 
between  England  and  the  United  States.  Commodore 
Tucker,  though  at  home  cultivating  his  farm,  was  no  less 
anxious  for  the  defence  and  honor  of  his  country  than  for 
the  private  welfare  of  his  fellow-citizens,  as  the  following 
patriotic  exploit  will  evince. 

The  capture  of  the  English  armed  schooner  Crown,  in 
this  war,  has  been  represented  and  published  in  various 
wa,ys.  The  following  was  put  in  writing,  as  the  description 
was  given  to  the  author,  in  a  conversation  with  Colonel 
Hinds,  the  grandson  of  the  Commodore. 

The  English  schooner  Bream,  of  eight  guns,  and  crew 
of  one  hundred  men,  which  accompanied  the  seventy- 
four  Rattler,  on  the  sea-coast  of  Maine,  in  the  summer  of 
1813,  had  harassed  Bristol  and  the  neighboring  towns  for 
some  time ;  alarming,  by  their  depredations,  the  peaceful 
inhabitants,  carrying  oft'  cattle,  burning  fishermen  and 
coasters,  and  keeping  the  people  in  jeopardy  and  watch- 
fulness lest  their  houses  should  be  invaded.  One  vessel 
the  enemy  set  on  fire  was  towed  into  New  Harbor,  though 
too  late  to  be  saved  from  destruction. 

Roused  by  these  outrages,  a  number  of  seamen,  young 
and  middle-aged  men,  met  together  in.  a  store  at  Muscon- 
gus  harbor,  one  Sunday  afternoon  in  April,  to  see  what 
could  be  done.  They  concluded  to  send  for  Commodore 
Tucker,  to  consult  with  him,  and  get  his  advice.  As  soon 
as  he  came,  he  recommended  that  an  agreement  should 
be  drawn  up  to  procure  a  coaster,  arm  her,  and  go  out 
into  the  bay  to  take  the  schooner  Bream.  Forty-five 
individuals  signed  this  paper,  and  the  commodore,  then 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  217 

sixty-seven  years  old,  was  chosen  the  commander.  The 
next  day  they  procured  a  sloop,  the  Increase,  of  about 
one  hundred  tons  burden,  which  was  lying  at  the  wharf, 
with  her  hold  half  full  of  wood.  She  was  a  good  sailer, 
and  the  owners  agreed  to  take  one  half  of  the  prize  for 
the  risk  of  the  vessel,  which  was  under  the  charge  of 
Captain  Osier,  one  of  the  signers. 

Their  first  step  was  to  go  to  Waldoboro',  and  get  the 
necessary  papers  from  the  collector,  who  at  that  time 
was  Joseph  Farley,  Esq.  This  done,  they  armed  them- 
selves with  muskets  and  a  supply  of  ball  cartridges,  and 
each  took  sufficient  rations  for  a  short  cruise.  They  got 
ready  some  poles,  with  bayonets  fastened  on  the  end,  as  a 
substitute  for  boarding-pikes ;  and  thus  equipped,  they 
went  down  the  river,  and  around  Pemaquid  Point  to 
Townsend  harbor  in  Boothbay,  where  Commodore  Tucker 
came  on  board  and  took  command.  From  this  place 
they  sent  boats  up  to  the  fort  at'  Wiscasset,  which  was 
under  the  charge  of  Captain  John  Binney,  and  from  him 
they  procured  two  small  cannon,  with  a  brass  piece  and 
ammunition.  About  thirty  men  from  the  intrenchment 
in  Boothbay  joined  them  in  their  enterprise. 

Before  sailing  Tucker  called  together  his  little  band  of 
adventurers,  and  addressed  them  in  these  words :  "  Ship- 
mates, the  agreement  which  you  have  put  your  names  to  is 
voluntary,  and  not  binding  in  law.  If  any  one  chooses,  he 
has  a  right  to  withdraw  his  name.  We  wish  no  one  to 
go  with  us  —  for  there  may  be  fighting  —  without  his  own 
free  and  full  consent.  Now  is  the  time  to  make  up  your 
mind."  Such  is  the  substance  of  his  speech.  There  was 


2l8  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

a  solemn  pause  ;  one  poor  fellow  saw  in  his  mind's  eye 
the  horrors  of  a  bloody  fight,  and  he  stepped  out  of  the 
circle.  Then  he  asked  for  his  gun.  "  No,"  said  his 
comrades,  "'  that  is  pledged  ;  you  must  leave  it :  "  and  he 
went  away  amidst  the  hisses  of  the  crowd. 

They  hoisted  sail  and  left  the  harbor.  Rounding  Pema- 
quid  Point,  they  saw  a  sail  and  pursued  it ;  but  she  proved 
to  be  a  coasting  vessel.  They  cruised  two  days  east  and 
west,  and  discovering  no  ship  of  the  enemy,  returned  to 
Townsend  harbor,  —  for  the  head  of  the  detachment  of 
thirty  men,  who  had  joined  them  from  Boothbay,  grow- 
ing uneasy  at  so  long  an  absence,  thought  it  his  duty  to 
take  his  soldiers  back  to  their  post.  The  guns  borrowed 
at  the  fort  in  Wiscasset  were  also  returned.  The  fire- 
arms left  them  were  only  the  muskets  and  a  small  swivel 
of  their  own. 

Next  day  they  sailed  again  on  an  eastern  cruise,  and 
passing  Pemaquid  Point,  saw  an  armed  schooner,  which 
at  first  they  supposed  to  be  some  coaster.  They  im- 
mediately steered  east-north-east,  as  if  heading  for  St. 
George's  River.  On  the  other  hand,  the  schooner  they 
saw  changed  her  course,  and  steered  south-west  to  inter- 
cept them.  The  commodore  kept  nearly  all  his  men 
below  out  of  sight.  As  the  vessels  neared  each  other, 
their  own  sloop,  the  Increase,  kept  working  up  towards 
the  British  cruiser.  Captain  Richard  Jennings  —  as  his 
name  proved  to  be —  said  to  his  pilot,  who  was  an  Ameri- 
can, "  That  vessel  looks  suspicious."  The  pilot  replied, 
"  that  he  thought  he  saw  Commodore  Tucker  on  deck,  and 
believed  it  was  he  who  commanded  her,  and  there  will 
be  hot  work." 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  2 19 

Upon  hearing  this,  the  English  captain  fired,  and  cut 
through  the  sails  of  the  Increase,  and  immediately  her 
crew  leaped  on  deck,  hardly  waiting  the  orders  of  the 
commodore,  who  found  it  difficult  to  restrain  their  im- 
petuosity. He  commanded  them  to  form  platoons  —  each 
platoon  to  take  good  aim,  fire,  and  kneel,  when  ordered. 
The  British  schooner  kept  discharging  her  guns,  and 
literally  riddled  the  sails  of  the  sloop  beyond  repair. 
The  two  vessels  were  drawing  nearer  and  nearer,  the 
Increase  keeping  the  wind,  and  they  were  not  far  apart, 
when,  in  a  voice  of  thunder,  Tucker  gave  the  word,  u  Fire  ! " 
and  it  was  followed  by  such  quick  and  sharp  discharges 
of  musketry,  that  the  guns  of  the  enemy  were  silenced, 
and  the  men  rushed  below.  Their  captain  lay  down  on 
the  deck  and  steered,  which  one  of  the  sloop's  crew 
observing,  and  seeing  his  head  through  a  space  in  the 
quarter-boards,  he  fired  at  him,  and  the  ball  went  through 
his  hat,  just  grazing  his  head. 

On  board  the  Increase  there  was  one  volunteer  remark- 
able for  his  height  —  six  feet,  six  inches  ;  large  in  bulk,  and 
of  a  swarthy  complexion  —  a  terrible  looking  champion  in 
battle.  This  man  Commodore  Tucker  ordered  to  take  up 
a  kedge  anchor  at  the  bow,  and  stand  ready,  when  the 
word  was  given,  to  throw  it  as  a  grappling  iron  over  the 
gunwale  of  the  schooner.  He  lifted  it  up  on  his  back,  and 
stood  ready,  and  seeing  his  chance  from  the  near  ap- 
proach of  the  vessels,  cried  out,  '"  Commodore,  shall  I 
heave?"  The  English  captain  saw  him,  heard  his  cry, 
and  afterwards,  describing  the  scene,  exclaimed,  "  When  I 
beheld  a  very  tall,  giant-looking' fellow,  more  than  seven 


22O  LIFE   OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

feet  high,  standing  at  the  bow,  with  a  huge  anchor  on  his 
back  ready  to  throw  on  board  of  us  through  a  space  of 
fifteen  or  twenty  feet,  and  heard  the  awful  cry,  '  Com- 
modore, shall  I  heave?'  I  thought  the  devil  was  coming 
after  my  vessel." 

The  captain,  seeing  his  men  had  run  below,  and  that 
the  sloop  had  taken  the  wind  out  of  his  sails,  and  the 
Yankees  would  soon  grapple  and  board  him,  called  out 
for  quarters.  "  Then  strike  your  colors,"  said  Tucker. 
"  The  halliards  are  cut  away,"  he  replied.  "  Then  cut 
down  your  flag-staff,"  he  rejoined  ;  which  was  done,  and 
the  schooner  surrendered. 

The  prize  was  taken  to  Muscongus  harbor,  and  the 
crew,  consisting  of  twenty-five  prisoners,  were  deposited 
in  the  jail  at  Wiscasset.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact,  that  not 
one  man  was  killed,  or  even  wounded,  in  either  vessel. 
The  English  schooner  must  have  aimed  badly,  or  fired 
exclusively  at  the  sails,  —  for  they  were  found  full  of  holes, 
—  and  the  muskets  of  the  sloop  must  have  fired  over  the 
heads  of  the  English,  who  crouched  or  fled  from  a  second 
volley.  Thus  without  a  death,  or  even  a  wound,  in  a 
wood-coaster,  with  a  few  resolute  men,  ignorant  of  naval 
tactics,  Commodore  Tucker  gained  a  bloodless  victory. 
Beyond  all  doubt  he  owed  his  success  to  his  skill  in 
manoeuvring  an  armed  vessel,  and  taking  the  wind  out  of 
his  adversary's  sails,  thereby  getting  the  advantage  of  a 
commanding  position  in  an  engagement.  In  this  par- 
ticular, and  in  cool,  deliberate  courage,  no  naval  com- 
mander in  America  has  excelled  him. 

Captain  Jennings  accompanied    him   home,  and   was 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  221 

treated  in  a  very  kind  and  hospitable  manner.  He  was 
afterwards  carried  to  the  county  jail  at  Wiscasset,  from 
which,  it  was  said,  he  made  his  escape  in  woman's  clothes. 
Such  was  the  report,  but  the  incident  needs  explanation. 
It  seemed  that  England  had  claimed  some  of  the  American 
prisoners  she  had  captured  as  British  subjects,  and  in- 
tended to  have  them  tried  and  shot.  At  this  news 
certain  English  captains  we  had  captured  were  held  as 
hostages,  to  be  tried  and  shot  if  England  persisted  in 
such  intention.  On  this  account  Captain  Jennings  was 
kept  in  custody. 

On  his  return  to  Halifax,  he  afterwards  met  some  of  the 
men  who.  took  the  Crown, —  as  many  of  her  crew  were 
fishermen,  —  treated  them  very  kindly,  and  told  them  he 
had  no  idea  the  American  character  combined  so  much 
hospitality  and  bravery,  and  remarked,  "  You  will  never 
catch  me  again  in  a  privateer  against  you." 

It  should  be  observed  that  it  was  the  schooner  Bream, 
of  eight  guns,  which  Tucker,  with  his  gallant  band  of 
volunteers,  went  out  in  a  sloop  to  capture,  when  they 
fell  in  with  the  schooner  Crown,  of  six  guns,  the  captain 
of  which  had  just  arrived  off  Pemaquid  from  Halifax, 
with  a  full  supply  of  provisions  and  ammunition  for  the 
seventy-four.  Such  was  the  scarcity  of  food  that  year  in 
Bristol,  from  the  interruption  of  coasters  and  fishing 
vessels  by  the  British  cruisers,  and  from  suspension  of 
trade,  that  the  supplies  taken  in  this  capture  were  timely. 
They  were,  gladly  received  and  distributed  among  the 
suffering  families  on  the  sea-coast. 

Tucker  was  not  only  anxious,  but  busy  and  active  in 


222  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

providing  for  the  defence  of  Bristol  during  the  war.  He 
wrote  to  Major-General  William  King,  at  the  head  of  the 
eleventh  division,  who  resided  in  Bath,  upon  this  subject, 
and  his  answer  is  among  his  papers.  There  is  a  copy  of 
a  letter  of  Tucker  to  the  general,  dated  September  13, 
1814,  in  which  he  thanks  him  for  detaching  Captain 
Yeates's  company  of  Bristol  for  their  defence,  u  as  their 
own  troops  were  best,  on  account  of  their  knowledge  of 
the  creeks  and  inlets,"  to  guard  their  shores ;  and  then 
informs  him  that  the  Elba,  a  British  sloop  of  war,  was 
seen  yesterday,  and  four  barges  were  sent  from  her,  and 
approached  within  three  miles  of  New  Harbor,  but  per- 
ceiving there  would  be  resistance,  they  put  back ;  for 
•' they  generally  retreat  on  hearing  alarm."  In  the  same 
letter  he  remarks,  that  "  it  is  a  common  practice  among 
seamen,  in  nocturnal  excursions,  to  case  their  hats  in  white 
canvas,  that  they  may  know  each  other  in  the  dark." 

There  is  an  anecdote  related  of  the  commodore,  which 
evinces  that  he  never  lost  sight,  in  all  his  misfortunes,  of 
the  dignity  which  belonged  to  one  who  had  been  an 
officer  in  the  navy.  Not  long  after  the  war  of  1812  with 
England,  a  flotilla  of  gunboats  was  got  up  in  New  York, 
and  Commodore  Tucker  was  written  to  with  the  offer  of 
commanding  them.  He  replied,  with  some  asperity,  that 
•'  he  would  not  accept  it :  it  was  below  the  rank  he 
had  sustained  in  the  Revolution."  It  is  singular  that  no 
command  of  a  war  ship  was  then  offered  him  :  it  could 
:iot  have  been  owing  to  old  age,  for  his  mental  powers 
were  as  bright  and  vigorous  as  ever.  That  age  does 
not  necessarily  impair  the  faculties,  we  have  a  striking 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  223 

instance  in  the  Doge  of  Venice,  Henry  Dandolo,  who 
took  Constantinople  when  he  was  ninety-seven  years  of 
age,  and  even  then  was  deprived  of  his  sight.  Of  him 
Byron  says, — 

"  O,  for  an  hour  of  blind  old  Dandolo ! 
Th'  octogenarian  chief,  Byzantium's  conquering  foe." 

Childe  Harold,  Canto  III.  Stanza  12. 


224 


CHAPTER    XII. 

MEMBER  OF  THE  GENERAL  COURT.  —  PETITION  TO 
CONGRESS.  —  VISIT  TO  WASHINGTON.  —  His  PENSION. 
—  ANECDOTES.  —  CLOSE  OF  LIFE. 

COMMODORE  TUCKER,  though  he  had  retired 
from  a  busy  seaport  to  a  farm  on  the  Muscongus, 
sought  not  the  seclusion  of  a  hermitage  in  the  woods. 
His  mind,  naturally  active  and  lively,  was  ever  ready  to 
devote  itself  to  the  service  of  his  fellow-citizens  and  the 
welfare  of  his  country.  His  open,  straightforward  man- 
ner made  him  popular  with  his  townsmen,  and  they  ap- 
preciated his  character.  He  was  repeatedly  elected  one 
of  the  selectmen  of  Bristol,  before  that  section  of  the  town 
in  which  he  lived  was  set  off,  and  incorporated  as  Bre- 
men :  this  was  in  1828  ;  and  here  too  he  was  several  times 
chosen  into  the  same  office.  This  honor,  in  a  country 
municipality,  is  far  from  being  a  sinecure  ;  and  as  for 
profit,  the  fathers  of  the  town,  as  the  selectmen  are  called, 
there  received  ten  cents  an  hour,  and  it  was  thought  a  high 
remuneration  for  their  magisterial  labors. 

He  was  chosen  four  times  a  member  of  the  legislature 
of  Massachusetts,  to  wit,  in  1814,  1815,  1817,  and  1818. 
In  1816,  the  town  voted  to  choose  no  representative. 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  225 

Each  of  the  three  last  years  he  was  put  on  the  committee 
of  county  estimates;  for  wherever  he  was,  his  white  locks 
were  not  without  honor. 

Many  old  acquaintances  called  upon  the  veteran  in 
his  official  visits  to  Boston.  His  kind  and  illustrious 
friend,  Ex-President  John  Adams,  received  him  at  his 
mansion  in  Qtiincy  with  much  cordiality.  The  venerable 
patriot,  then  in  the  evening  of  life,  and  with  a  mind  un- 
clouded to  the  last,  took  a  warm  interest  in  his  welfare. 
Among  the  number  who  remembered  him  well,  and 
showed  him  the  kindest  attentions,  was  Harrison  Gray 
Otis,  Esq.,  the  most  graceful  and  eloquent  orator  in  his 
day,  —  for  the  star  of  Daniel  Webster  had  hardly  begun 
to  rise  above  the  horizon,  so  soon  after  to  culminate  and 
cast  all  other  lights  in  the  shade. 

It  was  in  one  of  these  visits,  as  representative  to  the 
General  Court,  that  in  a  crowded  room,  where  seats 
were  occupied,  some  juvenile  buck,  —  perhaps  "Young 
America," — observing  that  he  walked  a  little  lame  from 
a  rheumatic  attack,  stepped  up  to  him,  and  said,  as 
strangers  gathered  round  him,  "  Commodore,  you  have 
been  in  three  wars  for  your  country,  could  you  serve  in 
battle  now,  with  your  rheumatic  limb?"  "  Sir,"  said  the 
veteran,  fixing  his  eye  upon  him,  and  with  that  voice, 
which  often  rose  above  the  storm  of  the  ocean,  "  wher- 
ever I  had  the  honor  to  command  —  in  my  day —  men  of 
war  were  furnished  with  chairs.  I  trust,  sir,  one  might 
be  found  even  now." 

He  was  energetic  and  influential  in  procuring  the 
separation  of  Maine  from  her  parent  State.  He  saw  the 

15 


226  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

time  had  come  ;  and  it  was  right,  and  it  was  expedient, 
that  a  large  territory,  rapidly  growing  in  population  and 
wealth,  and  whose  representatives  were  obliged  to  travel 
to  the  General  Court  through  an  intervening  State,  should 
now  become  one  of  the  stars  in  the  flag  of  the  Union. 
This  event  was  brought  about  in  a  most  harmonious  man- 
ner. A  convention  met  in  Portland,  October  12,  1819,  to 
form  a  constitution,  to  which  Commodore  Tucker  was  a 
delegate  from  Bristol,  and  over  which  General  William 
King,  who  was  afterwards  elected  the  first  governor, 
presided. 

He  was  twice  chosen  a  member  of  the  House  of 
Representatives  in  Maine,  for  1820  and  1821.  The 
legislature  then  assembled  at  Portland. 

The  history  of  his  repeated  applications  to  Congress  for 
payment  of  the  arrears,  due  for  services  three  years  and 
ten  months,  or,  if  not  granted,  for  some  relief  or  pension, 
is  singular  and  unprecedented.  It  evinces  his  character 
of  perseverance  on  the  land  as  on  the  sea.  It  was  finally, 
in  a  degree,  successful,  though  forty-eight  years  had  passed 
before  the  slow  hand  of  justice  meted  out  any  mark  of 
gratitude  to  that  gallant  officer. 

In  1 784,  he  sent  his  memorial  to  the  care  of  the  Honor- 
able Elbridge  Gerry,  member  of  Congress.  His  reply 
was  as  follows  :  — 

ANNAPOLIS,  June  5,  1784. 

DEAR  SIR  :  I  should  with  pleasure  have  complied  with 
the  request  contained  in  your  letter  of  the  I5th  of  May, 
had  it  arrived  in  time,  but  Congress  had  adjourned  before 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  227 

I  received  it.  The  Committee  of  the  States  cannot  receive 
any  matter  that  relates  to  a  grant  of  money,  for  which 
reason  I  return  the  memorial,  and  remain, 

Your  very  humble  servant, 

E.  GERRY. 
CAPTAIN  TUCKER. 

After  his  removal  to  Bristol,  in  1793,  and  some  time 
before  1800,  he  forwarded  a  memorial  to  Congress,  and 
was  informed  that  a  resolve  had  been  passed  by  them  in 
1794,  which  precluded  and  shut  out  all  claims  of  Revolu- 
tionary officers  not  presented  before  a  certain  time,  and 
thus  he  was  cut  oft"  from  the  payment  of  his  arrears. 

In  December,  1806,  he  forwarded  a  petition  for  relief  to 
Congress,  to  the  care  of  the  Honorable  Orchard  Cook, 
member  from  Maine  ;  and  though  the  Honorable  John 
Dawson,  of  Virginia,  exerted  himself  to  promote  its 
success,  it  was  ineffectual. 

February  12,  1812,  his  application  to  Congress  was 
renewed  by  the  Honorable  Peleg  Tallman,  of  Maine,  and 
the  Honorable  William  Reed,  of  Massachusetts,  got  it 
referred  to  the  Committee  of  Claims,  where  it  slept  in 
that  oblivion,  the  waters  of  which  are  too  often  drank  at 
the  Capitol. 

In  1816  he  again  applied,  and  there  is  a  copy  of  a 
letter  to  the  Honorable  Benjamin  Brown,  of  Maine,  then  a 
member  of  Congress,  —  and  formerly,  it  will  be  recollected, 
his  surgeon  in  the  frigate  Boston,  —  in  which  he  sent  on 
another  petition.  Honorable  Albion  K.  Parris,  of  Maine, 
also  a  member,  interested  himself  much  for  him,  and  sent 
him  the  following  letter:  — 


228  LIFE    OF   SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

WASHINGTON  CITY,  December  24,  1817. 

DEAR  SIR  :  I  have  the  pleasure  of  informing  you.  that 
a  bill  has  this  moment  passed  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, providing  relief  for  the  officers,  soldiers,  mariners, 
and  marines  who  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  By 
this  bill  it  is  provided  that  all  officers,  both  of  the  army 
and  navy,  should  receive  a  pension  for  life  of  twenty  dollars 
per  month,  and  all  the  non-commissioned  officers,  privates, 
marines,  and  mariners,  of  eight  dollars  per  month,  during 
life,  commencing  on  the  4th  day  of  March  last.  This 
pension  is,  however,  payable  to  those  who  are  poor  and 
in  want.  The  bill  has  now  gone  to  the  Senate,  where 
I  sincerely  wish  it  success.  Let  me  hear  from  you,  and 
believe  me, 

Your  friend,  sincerely, 

ALBION  K.  PARR  is. 

CAPTAIN  SAMUEL  TUCKER. 

The  next  letter  will  show  that  under  the  general  law  he 
did  apply,  and  received  twenty  dollars  a  month  for  three 
years,  from  January,  1817. 

NAVY  DEPARTMENT,  8th  March,  1820. 

MY  DEAR  SIR  :  In  transmitting  the  pension,  I  cannot  omit 
the  occasion  of  writing  you  a  few  lines,  and  of  expressing 
my  opinion  of  the  meanness  and  want  of  liberality  in  the 
House  of  Representatives,  in  reducing  the  sum  fixed  by  the 
Senate,  where  the  members  were  old  enough  to  remember 
the  Revolution  and  Revolutionary  men ;  whereas,  in  the 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  229 

House,  one  half  of  them  were  not  born,  or  in  their  cradles, 
when  you  were  fighting  the  battles  of  their  country,  and 
who  at  this  day  might  have  been  hewers  of  wood  and 
drawers  of  water,  had  not  a  few  like  you,  and  Washing- 
ton, and  Stark,  and  Greene,  succeeded  in  obtaining  our 
Independence  of  old  mother  Britain. 

I  have  sent  on  this  day,  to  the  Branch  Bank  in  Boston, 
the  three  years'  pension  due  you  on  the  ist  of  January  last, 
and  you  will  receive  six  months' pension  the  istof  July 
next ;  and  so  one  hundred  and  twenty  dollars  every  six 
months  to  come,  which  I  pray  God  may  be  some  comfort 
to  your  old  age.  I  regret  very  sincerely  that  it  is  not  fifty 
dollars  instead  of  twenty  per  month. 

Accept  my  best  wishes  for  your  health  and  happiness, 
and  believe  me  to  be,  dear  sir, 

Your  friend,  and  respectful  humble  servant, 

BENJAMIN  HOMANS. 

COMMODORE  SAMUEL  TUCKER,  Bristol,  Maine. 

This  handsome  letter  from  Mr.  Homans  must  have 
been  cheering  to  the  hero  of  '76,  when  he  found  that 
men  of  noble  spirits  felt  for  his  misfortunes. 

While  he  was  a  member  of  the  legislature  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, his  petition  for  arrears,  or  relief,  was  pre- 
sented to  Congress.  It  was  read  in  the  Senate  March  18, 
1816,  called  up  next  year,  December  i,  and  referred  to  the 
Committee  on  Pensions  and  Revolutionary  Claims ;  there 
it  hung  along  for  four  years,  as  the  claims  of  private 
citizens,  however  just  and  urgent,  were  too  often  deemed 
of  trifling  importance  compared  to  some  party  measure 


,  230  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER 

or  flaming  speech  for  home  consumption  peculiar  to 
petty  politicians.  The  Honorable  Mark  L.  Hill,  repre- 
sentative from  Maine,  in  1819,  exerted  himself  for  the 
petitioner,  and  his  efforts  were  fortified  by  the  following 
powerful  document,  which  is  so  honorable  to  the  memory 
of  Tucker,  that  it  is  quoted  in  full. 

QUINCY,  January  18,  1816. 

SIR  :  Samuel  Tucker,  Esq.,  a  member  of  our  Mas- 
sachusetts legislature,  has  a  petition  to  government  for 
justice,  or  customary  favor  to  meritorious  officers,  which 
will  be  explained  before  the  proper  judges.  I  cannot 
refuse  a  request  to  certify  what  I  know  of  his  character 
and  history.  My  acquaintance  with  him  commenced 
early  in  the  year  1776,  when  he  was  first  appointed  to  a 
command  in  the  navy,  in  which  he  served  with  reputation 
and  without  reproach  to  the  end  of  the  year  1783. 

His  biography  would  make  a  conspicuous  figure,  even 
at  this  day,  in  the  naval  annals  of  the  United  States. 
I  can  be  particular  only  in  one  instance.  In  1778 
he  was  ordered  to  France  in  the  Boston  frigate.  He 
sailed  in  February,  and  soon  fell  in  with  three  British 
frigates,  sent  from  Rhode  Island  expressly  to  intercept 
him.  Fighting  of  one  against  three  was  out  of  the  ques- 
tion. In  a  chase  of  three  days  and  three  nights  he  baffled 
all  the  inventions,  and  defeated  all  the  manoeuvres,  of  the 
enemy,  and  was  separated  from  him  at  last  in  the  Gulf 
Stream  by  a  furious  hurricane,  which  for  three  days  more 
threatened  him  with  immediate  destruction.  Nor  was  it 
his  last  danger  from  seas  or  from  enemies.  He  had  two 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER.  231 

other  storms,  and  two  other  detachments  of  British  men 
of  war,  to  encounter ;  one  in  the  English  Channel,  and 
another  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay.  He  arrived  at  Bordeaux 
in  April. 

Nothing  but  vigilance,  patience,  and  perseverance, 
added  to  consummate  nautical  skill,  could  have  preserved 
that  ship  through  so  many  dangers  at  that  equinoctial 
season,  and  with  such  a  succession  of  irresistible  enemies. 

I  heartily  wish  Captain  Tucker  success,  and  beg  the 
favor  of  you,  sir,  to  communicate  to  any  committee  who 
may  be  charged  with  the  examination  of  his  application, 
this  letter  from, 

Your  friend,  and  humble  servant, 

JOHN  ADAMS. 

HON.  MR.  CROWNINSHIELD, 

Secretary  of  the  Navy  of  the  United  States. 

The  foregoing  is  a  true  copy  of  the  original,  now  in  my 

possession. 

MARK  L.  HILL. 

The  bill,  however,  passed  the  Senate,  and  it  seems  that 
the  pension  he  had  drawn  of  twenty  dollar^  a  month  was 
not  afterwards  regarded  as  an  estoppel,  for  in  Nilcs's 
Register  (Vol.  19,  p.  397)  is  this  statement:  "  Much  time 
was  spent  on  private  claims  and  affairs  —  especially  on  a 
bill  reported  by  the  Naval  Committee  to  place  the  vener- 
able Commodore  Tucker,  of  the  Revolutionary  army,  on 
a  pension  list  of  fifty  dollars  per  month.  The  merits  of 
that  distinguished  officer  were  fully  acknowledged,  but  the 
propriety  of  the  procedure  was  objected  to  on  general 


232  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

principles.     At  last  the  bill  was  ordered  to  be  engrossed 
for  a  third  reading." 

Honorable  John  Chandler,  of  the  Senate,  then  wrote,  — 

WASHINGTON,  5th  February,  1821. 

MY  DEAR  COMMODORE  :  I  have  only  time  to  say  to 
you  that  the  Senate  has  this  moment  passed  }'our  bill, 
granting  you  a  pension  of  half  captain's  pay,  by  a  majority 
of  nearly  two  to  one,  notwithstanding  a  powerful  opposi- 
tion of  Smith,  Roberts,  Macon,  and  others. 
In  haste,  your  humble  servant, 

JOHN  CHANDLER. 
COMMODORE  TUCKER. 

During  the  long  period  of  time  in  which  Commodore 
Tucker  so  often  petitioned  to  Congress  for  relief,  if  not 
payment  of  the  arrears  due  him,  he  wrote  numerous 
letters,  of  which  copies  were  preserved  in  his  own  hand- 
writing. The  publication  of  the  whole  would  unneces- 
sarily swell  this  volume ;  but  a  few  extracts  may  be 
interesting  to  the  reader. 

At  Boston,  November  25,  1816,  he  wrote  to  the  Hon. 
B.  Homans,  of  the  Navy  Department,  and  in  that  letter 
remarks,  "  I  have  some  papers  in  custody,  which  I 
wanted  Mr.  Parris  to  look  over  before  he  left  Boston  ; 
they  are  no  more  than  orders  I  received  in  1779,  when 
made  a  Commodore,  having  under  my  command  Seth 
Harding,  Esq.,  of  the  Confederacy,  and  Alexander  Mont- 
gomery, Esq.,  of  the  General  Greene." 

Again,  in  a  letter  to  the  same,  dated  June  6.  1816,  "I 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  233 

have  asked  nothing  more  than  my  real  due,  —  and  it  is  a 
question  whether  I  have  asked  that,  —  as  it  is  President 
Adams's  opinion  I  ought  to  be  paid  from  1780  to  1787, 
when  I  received  the  thanks  of  Congress  for  the  services 
rendered  my  country  during  the  Revolutionary  war,  and 
at  the  same  time  I  was  informed  by  that  honorable  com- 
mittee that  Congress  still  held  me  in  the  service  of  my 
country,  being  the  senior  maritime  officer  of  the  four 
New  England  States." 

In  his  letter  to  the  Honorable  John  Holmes,  written  at 
Bristol,  December  23,  1817,  he  says,  "Mr.  Parris  was  in 
Congress  when  the  report  was  made,  and  can  give  you 
every  information  concerning  the  affair ;  my  venerable 
and  worthy  friend,  President  Adams,  has  taken  an  active 
part  in  my  favor."  And  in  a  long  letter  to  Mr.  Holmes, 
March  6,  1818,  he  says,  "  The  commission  above  alluded 
to  is  in  manuscript,  and  signed  by  the  Honorable  Samuel 
Adams,  deceased,  late  chief  magistrate  of  this  State  we 
are  citizens  of,  and  I  would  to  God  -he  had  been  in  the 
chair  of  magistracy  the  last  war ;  then,  my  dear  sir,  our 
noble  State  had  not  lost  her  former  glory.  .  .  .  Had  I  a 
moderate  competency  to  subsist  on  for  myself  and  my 
feeble  consort,  who  has  lived  with  me  in  a  state  of  matri- 
mony upwards  of  eight  and  forty  years,  I  would  have 
despised  the  idea  of  giving  myself  half  the  trouble  I  have 
already  been  at,  although  my  aged  friends,  who  perfectly 
recollect  my  former  services,  are  still  urging  me  to  pursue 
it.  ...  The  first  cruise  I  made  was  performed  in  January, 
1776,  and  I  had  to  purchase  the  small  arms  to  encounter 
my  enemy  with  money  from  my  own  pocket,  or  go 


234  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

without  them  ;  and  the  consort  above  mentioned  made  the 
banner  I  fought  under,  the  field  of  which  was  white  and 
the  union  was  green,  made  therein  in  the  figure  of  a  pine 
tree,  made  of  cloth  of  her  own  purchasing,  at  her  own 
expense.  Those  colors  I  wore  in  honor  of  my  country, 
which  has  so  nobly  rewarded  me  for  my  past  services, 
and  for  the  love  of  their  maker,  until  I  fell  in  with  Colonel 
Archibald  Campbell,  in  the  ship  George,  and  brig  Ara- 
bella, transports,  with  about  two  hundred  and  eighty 
Highland  troops  on  board,  of  General  Frazer's  corps. 
About  ten  P.  M.  a  severe  conflict  ensued,  which  held  about 
two  hours  and  twenty  minutes.  I  conquered  them,  with 
great  courage  on  their  side.  It  being  in  the  night,  and  my 
small  biM'k,  about  seventy  tons  burden,  being  very  low  in 
the  water,  I  received  no  damage  in  the  loss  of  men,  but 
lost  a  complete  suit  of  new  sails  by  the  passing  of  their 
balls.  ...  I  was  told  by  the  Navy  Commissioner,  Ben- 
jamin Walker,  Esq.,  that  I  was  the  only  one  who  was  not 
called  on  by  a  court  martial,  or  court  of  inquiry,  of  the 
whole  who  had  command  of  the  thirteen  frigates  in  public 
service  ;  and  he  then  said,  '  Since  you  have  been  in  New 
York,  you  have  been  waited  upon  with  the  thanks  of 
Congress,  for  the  services  rendered  your  country.'  .  ... 
Although  my  government's  neglect  is  severe  on  me  re- 
specting my  former  services,  it  does  not  lessen  the  love  of 
country  in  me :  I  positively  declare  in  my  own  mind, 
aged  and  disabled  as  I  am,  if  my  dear  country,  United 
America,  was  invaded  by  any  power  whatever,  and  mv 
advice  or  actions  were  called  for  by  the  public  authoritv, 
or  private  State,  thinking  as  I  do,  I  would  step  forth  with 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER.  235 

all  the  alacrity  that  my  power  could  summon,  or  dispense 
with  the  last  drop  of  blood  that  runs  warm  in  my  veins 
in  its  defence." 

On  the  2Oth  of  December,  1820,  the  electoral  college  of 
Maine  unanimously  appointed  hirn  a  special  messenger  to 
carry  the  votes  for  President  and  Vice-President  to  Wash- 
ington. Though  nearly  seventy-four  years  of  age,  he  per- 
formed a  journey  exceeding  six  hundred  miles  in  less  than 
five  days.  It  must  be  recollected  that  the  facilities  of 
steam  travelling  were  then  unknown,  not  having  been 
introduced  until  several  years  after. 

In  his  route  to  the  capital,  he  passed  through  a  large 
section  of  a  country  he  had  not  visited  for  more  than  forty 
years,  and  then  it  was  seen  amidst  the  convulsions  of  war 
and  distress  in  every  direction.  What  astounding  changes 
he  must  have  noticed  !  — the  splendid  cities  of  New  York, 
Philadelphia,  and  Baltimore,  towering  to  the  skies; 
flourishing  towns,  picturesque  country  seats,  busy  marts 
of  commerce,  cultivated  fields,  cosy  farm-houses,  and 
everywhere  the  United  States  exhibiting  the  prosperity  of 
a  great  nation  !  Railroads,  then  in  contemplation,  were 
only  wanting  to  give  the  magnificence  of  the  present  day 
to  the  picture.  This  naval  veteran  must  have  felt  an 
electric  thrill  within  his  breast,  when  he  looked  round  and 
thought  that  all  these  blessings  of  a  free  and  happy  people 
were  purchased  by  the  blood  and  valor  of  the  patriots  of 
'76.  And  was  he  not  one  of  them? 

Indeed,  this  beautiful  panorama  of  peace  and  pros- 
perity, such  as  no  nation  on  earth  had  ever  experienced 
in  any  age  or  country,  must  have  been  to  him  like  the 


236  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

dream  of  an  old  man,  when  he  sees  visions  of  bliss,  after 
long  years  of  neglect,  poverty,  and  affliction.  Then,  had 
Congress  done  their  duty,  and  political  jobbers,  dema- 
gogues, and  speech-makers  laid  aside  their  intrigues,  and 
united  with  the  more  honorable  and  noble  members  in 
rewarding  merit,  and  bestowing  a  liberal  pension  on  this 
venerable  patriot,  it  would  have  redounded  to  their  glory, 
and  the  commodore  would  have  returned  a  happier  man 
to  his  humble  home  in  Bristol.  But  it  is  the  misfortune 
of  the  country  that  our  republic  has  been  too  often  repre- 
sented in  Congress  by  men  who  looked  only  to  their  own 
emoluments  and  self-interest. 

When  he  first  appeared  in  the  House  of  Representatives, 
standing  among  a  group  of  strangers  outside  the  bar,  his 
commanding  figure  and  silvery  locks  excited  much  atten- 
tion. It  was  soon  whispered  round  that  Commodore 
Tucker,  one  of  the  few  surviving  naval  officers  of  the 
Revolution,  was  there,  and  all  eyes  were  fixed  upon  him. 
Was  it  not,  among  the  great  men  in  that  Witenagemote,  a 
moment  of  sublime  recollections  of  history,  when  he  stood, 
as  it  were,  revealed  before  them?  As  of  old  in  the  court 
of  Carthage,  — 

"  Restitit  ^Eneas,  claraque  in  luce  refulsit." 

There  were  many  in  that  august  assembly  who  had 
heard  of  the  man,  his  bravery,  his  skill,  his  success  on  the 
ocean,  while  his  daring  deeds  Avere  yet  fresh  in  the  minds 
of  the  older  members  of  Congress.  It  was  quickly  re- 
ported in  the  Capitol,  over  whose  dome  the  stars  and 
stripes  were  proudly  waving,  that  there  was  one  among 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  237 

them  who  had  taken  from  the  enemy  sixty-two  sail  of 
vessels,  more  than  six  hundred  pieces  of  cannon,  and 
three  thousand  prisoners,  in  the  Continental  war. 

Let  not  the  reader  suspect  the  author  of  this  sketch  of 
exaggeration  in  these  numerical  calculations ;  for  such 
was  the  statement  of  his  exploits  in  the  National  Intel- 
ligencer of  December  16,  1820,  when  speaking  of  his  mis- 
sion from  the  electoral  college  of  Maine.  Forty-seven 
years  have  elapsed,  and  this  generation  is  too  ready  to 
ignore  or  forget  the  past;  but  these  are  facts,  which  are 
clearly  seen  in  the  light  of  history. 

The  Honorable  Mark  L.  Hill,  of  Maine,  was  about 
moving  the  House  to  admit  the  veteran  on  the  floor,  when, 
upon  exemination,  it  was  found  that  Congress,  after  the 
close  of  the  Revolutionary  war,  had  passed  a  unanimous 
vote  of  thanks  to  Commodore  Tucker  for  the  services  he 
had  rendered  his  country.  Therefore,  according  to  a 
standing  rule  of  the  House,  no  special  vote  was  necessarv, 
and  IK-  was  admitted. 

His  visit  to  Washington  probably  awoke  there  a 
public  s\  mpathv  and  warm  interest  for  his  welfare:  for, 
soon  after  his  return  home,  his  memorial  was  taken  from 
the  files  of  the  Senate,  and  referred  to  the  Committee 
on  Naval  Affairs.  Their  report  was  able,  decisive,  and 
honorary  to  the  applicant.  It  was  drawn  up  by  the 
Honorable  Freeman  Walker,  and  a  copy  of  it,  from  the 
American  State  Papers,  entitled  Claims,  page  760?  —  a 
work  edited  by  W.  Lowrie  and  W.  S.  Franklin,  —  is 
here  presented. 


238  LIFE  OF  SAMUEL  TUCKER. 

ARREARS  OF  PAY. 
Communicated  to  the  Senate,  January  12,  1821. 

Mr.  Walker,  of  Georgia,  from  the  Committee  on  Naval 
Affairs,  to  whom  was  referred  the  petition  of  Samuel 
Tucker,  reported, — 

That  the  petitioner  was,  as  he  states  in  his  petition,  a 
captain  in  the  navy  of  the  United  States  during  the 
Revolutionary  war ;  that  he  obtained  his  commission  on 
the  2oth  January,  17765  and  served  his  country  with 
fidelity  during  the  whole  of  our  Revolutionary  struggle  ; 
that,  after  encountering  the  hardships,  privations,  and 
dangers  incident  to  his  station,  and  having,  by  his  suc- 
cessful exertions,  contributed  much  to  the  advancement 
of  the  American  cause,  he  was  taken  prisoner  by  the 
enemy,  at  Charleston,  in  the  month  of  May,  1780,  but 
was  in  the  month  of  August,  of  the  same  year,  exchanged, 
and  again,  as  he  states,  entered  the  service  of  his  country, 
in  which  he  continued  until  the  successful  termination  of 
our  controversy,  in  1783,  having  received  the  thanks  of 
Congress  for  his  meritorious  services ;  that  the  petitioner 
has  received  no  pecuniary  remuneration  for  the  services 
rendered  his  country  from  August,  1780,  to  the  conclusion 
of  the  war  ;  that  although  the  petitioner  does  not  appear 
to  have  been  actively  employed  after  his  exchange,  yet 
there  is  no  evidence  of  his  having  been  discharged  ;  and 
as  he  was  ready  and  liable  to  obey  the  call  of.  his  country 
at  any  moment,  he  could  not  profitably  pursue  any  private 
avocation. 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  239 

The  committee  are  therefore  of  opinion,  that  the  peti- 
tioner is  entitled  to  some  pecuniary  remuneration,  provis- 
ion for  which  the  committee  the  more  cheerfully  recom- 
mend to  the  Senate,  from  the  consideration  that  the 
petitioner  is  a  very  aged  person  (being  upwards  of 
seventy-three  years  of  age),  that  he  is  very  poor,  and 
from  the  infirmities  incident  to  such  advanced  age  is,  as 
he  himself  states,  incapable,  by  manual  labor  or  individual 
exertion,  of  procuring  a  subsistence  for  himself  and  family. 
The  committee  are  of  opinion  that  both  justice  and  grati- 
tude unite  in  the  call  upon  government  to  grant  the  prayer 
of  the  petitioner  in  the  present  case.  They  therefore 
report  a  bill  for  his  relief.  —  American  State  Papers, 
Claims. 

Mr.  Hill  wrote  to  him,  February  15,  that  the  bill, 
giving  him  half  pay  as  captain  in  the  navy  during  life,  had 
passed  the  Senate.  On  the  2Oth  of  the  same  month,  the 
House  took  it  up.  Niles's  Register  states,  "  A  bill  for  the 
relief  of  Commodore  Tucker  was  rejected  by  a  majority 
of  one  vote ! "  Some  members  said  that  the  statute  of 
limitations  had  barred  all  claims  for  relief;  others  gave 
more  pitiful  reasons.  Thus  more  than  ten  years  elapsed 
before  any  liberal  provision  was  made  for  "  meritorious 
services,"  so  clearly  proved  to,  and  acknowledged  by,  a 
committee  of  the  Senate.  At  last,  in  June  4,  1832,  a 
general  act  was  passed,  allowing  full  pay  to  all  officers 
and  privates  of  the  Revolution  who  had  served  two  years 
in  the  Continental  army,  and  also  in  the  navy. 

In  the  Boston  Weekly  Messenger,  of  April  u,  1833, 


240  LIFE   OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

containing  an  obituary  notice  of  Commodore  Tucker,  is 
this  paragraph  touching  his  pension :  "  Although  a 
former  Secretary  of  War  had  reported  the  sum  of  twelve 
hundred  dollars  a  year  to  be  due  by  government,  he 
remained  without  a  cent  from  the  government  until  a 
few  years  since,  when  he  received  twenty  dollars  per 
month ;  this  last  winter  the  stain  of  ingratitude  was 
partially  wiped  away  by  an  annuity  of  six  hundred  dol- 
lars per  year  settled  on  him  by  government." 

The  deep  interest  and  sympathy  manifested  for  him  by 
members  who  presented  or  advocated  his  repeated  memo- 
rials —  the  Honorable  John  Holmes  and  General  John 
Chandler,  of  the  Senate  ;  Honorable  Mark  L.  Hill,  Benja- 
min Brown,  William  Reed,  Albion  K.  Parris,  and  others, 
of  the  House ;  the  generous  report  of  the  able  Senator, 
Honorable  Freeman  Walker,  which  so  much  redounds  to 
the  exploits  of  the  veteran  ;  and  the  explicit  and  honorable 
testimony  of  his  venerable  friend,  Ex-President  Adams, 
it  would  seem,  would  have  been  enough  to  make  the  pol- 
iticians of  the  hour  withdraw  all  objections,  and  pass  at 
least  a  silent  vote  in  his  behalf. 

The  following  letter  from  his  old  friend  John  Barnes, 
was  received  at  Washington  :  — 

BRIDGE  STREET,  GEORGETOWN,  COL.,  } 
gth  February,  1821.      ) 

DEAR  SIR  :  Your  late  arrival  at  Washington  brought  to 
my  recollection,  that  on  your  visit  to  New  York,  in  1785 
or  '86.  to  wait  on  the  late  Colonel  Walker  (to  whom  I 
was  then  an  assistant  clerk),  you  did  me  the  honor  to 


LIFE    OF    SAMUE1      TUCKER.  341 

dine  with  me,  in  company  with  the  late  Commodore 
Whipple  and  Captain  Manly,  —  now  thirty-four  years 
past; — and  could  you  make  it  convenient,  with  your 
present  business,  before  you  leave  Washington,  I  should 
be  much  gratified  in  your  renewing  the  favor,  so  long 
delayed.  My  friend,  Mr.  Dunn,  will  inform  you,  if  neces- 
sary, respecting  my  situation,  &c. 

Most  respectfully,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  BARNES. 
CAPTAIN  SAMUEL  TUCKER,  Washington. 

When  he  was  a  representative  in  the  General  Court  of 
Massachusetts,  it  will  be  recollected  that  Ex-President 
Adams  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  welfare  of  his  old  friend. 
In  confirmation  of  this  fact,  the  copy  of  a  letter  from  Mr. 
Adams  to  Matthew  Carey,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia,  is  here 
introduced.  It  was  carefully  transcribed  from  the  original 
document,  now  in  possession  of  Martin  P.  Kennard,  Esq., 
of  Boston,  who  has  preserved  it  among  his  valuable  col- 
lection of  autographs.  This  gentleman  has  garnered  up 
in  -his  casket  many  precious  jewels  of  other  times,  ac- 
companied with  some  engraved  portraits  of  our  great  men. 
Such  relics  are  often  of  historic  value. 

QUINCY,  June  i,  1813. 

SIR  :  On  Sunday  last  Samuel  Tucker,  Esquire,  of  Bris- 
tol in  the  District  of  Maine,  very  unexpectedly  made  me 
a  visit.  I  was  delighted  to  see  once  more,  the  Man,  who 
in  1778  carried  me  safely  to  Bourdeaux,  through  the  six 
and  twenty  misfortunes  of  Harlequin.  He  is  sixty-five 
years  of  age.  He  has  retired  upon  a  Farm,  and  is  a 
16 


242  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

Representative  in  our  State  House  of  Representatives  ; 
but  is  more  anxious  at  present  for  his  neighbors,  really 
su fieri ng  for  want  of  bread,  than  for  the  honors  of  his 
civil  station,  or  for  Naval  Glory.  He  has  lately  stepped 
on  board  a  sloop,  loaded  with  wood,  with  a  few  Volun- 
teers, only  two  of  whom  had  ever  seen  a  gun  in  anger ; 
none  were  seamen  ;  and  by  his  address  and  intrepidity, 
took  an  English  Privateer,  which  had  long  infested  their 
coast  and  distressed  the  inhabitants.  This  fact  deserves  a 
place  in  your  Naval  History. 

Capt.  Tucker  has  promised  me  a  list  of  the  Prizes  he 
took  from  the  English,  sixty  or  seventy  I  believe,  in  the 
revolutionary  war,  with  the  names  of  the  Ships  and  their 
Commanders.  When  I  receive  it,  I  will  immediately 
transmit  it  to  you. 

This  Man  was  with  his  Boston  frigate  in  the  harbor  of 
Charleston,  when  invaded  by  the  British  army  and  navy. 
His  flag  continued  to  fly.  The  British  Admiral  sent  a 
special  order  to  the  Commander  of  the  Boston  to  strike  his 
Flag.  Tucker's  answer  was,  '  I  do  not  think  much  of 
striking  my  flag  to  your  present  Force  ;  but  I  have  struck 
more  of  your  Flags,  than  are  now  flying  in  this  harbor.' 

When  I  see,  or  hear,  of  or  from,  one  of  these  old  Men 
whether  in  civil,  political,  military  or  naval  service,  my 
heart  feels. 

I  hope  you  will  not  think  me  officious  ;  but  believe  me, 
i  cordial  Approver  of  your  design  and  work  and 
Your  obliged  servant 

JOHN  ADAMS. 

MATHEVV  CAREY  ESQ.  Philadelphia. 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  243 

He  was  invited  to  attend  the  solemnities  at  Belfast,  on 
account  of  the  death  of  Adams  and  Jefferson,  the  com- 
memoration of  which  the  following  correspondence  will 
show  :  — 

BELFAST,  August  7,  1826. 

SIR  :  We  have  set  apart  Thursday,  the  loth  instant,  in 
this  town,  to  call  into  recollection  the  patriotic  and  noble 
services  of  the  deceased  patriots,  Adams  and  Jefferson, 
and  have  to  beg  the  favor  of  your  attendance  on  that 

occasion. 

JOHN  WILSON,  Per  Order. 

COMMODORE  TUCKER. 

John  Wilson,  Esq.,  who  wrote  this  letter,  was  a  lawyer 
of  high  rank  in  that  part  of  the  country  ;  the  invitation 
was  complimentary,  but  the  veteran  had  begun  to  find 
that  the  years  were  hanging  heavy  upon  him,  and  he 
declined  the  invitation  in  a  reply  breathing  the  spirit 
of  '76. 

BRISTOL,  August  9,  A.  D.  1826. 

DEAR  SIR  :  Through  the  medium  of  Mr.  Benjamin 
Palmer,  I  received  your  polite  invitation  to  attend  at 
Belfast,  on  the  loth  instant,  to  accompany  my  fellow- 
citizens  in  hearing  a  eulogy  delivered  on  the  occasion  of 
the  demise  of  two  of  the  greatest  statesmen  and  patriots 
of  whom  our  country  can  boast,  the  illustrious  Wash- 
ington excepted  ;  and  I  think  it  highly  meritorious  in  all 
our  brother  Republicans  to  hold  it  up,  as  it  ought  to  be 
celebrated  with  some  degree  of  solemnity.  I  was  ac- 


244  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER. 

quainted  with  both  these  gentlemen  for  many  years,  and 
with  one  of  them  much  better  than  the  other  ;  and  firmly 
declare  they  were  two  of  the  greatest  luminaries  who 
brought  us  from  thraldom  into  this  glorious  liberty,  which 
all  the  children  of  men  ought  freely  to  enjoy  throughout 
the  universe.  I  doubt  not  in  the  least  but  they  will  be 
each  crowned  with  a  diadem  in  the  celestial  mansions, 
equally  as  honorable  in  their  blest  abode,  as  they  merited 
amongst  men  here  below. 

Indisposition  pleads  the  cause  of  my  non-attendance, 
for  which  I  \vas  very  sorry.  Sir,  please  to  accept  of  the 
best  wishes  of  your  servant,  for  yourself  and  for  those  for 
whom  you  wrote,  and  subscribe, 

Your  most  obedient,  &c., 

SAMUEL  TUCKER. 
JOHN  WILSON,  Esq. 

He  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Fratern it}*,  and  made 
a  Mason  at  Boston  in  1779.  The  author  saw  his  diploma, 
and  took  the  following  extract :  — 

To  SAMUEL  TUCKER, 

Then  follows  the  Diploma,  from  "  St.  John's  Lodge, 
No.  I,  Boston."  It  is  dated  3oth  day  of  January,  1779. 

(Countersigned.)  (Signed.) 

NATHAN  PATTEN,  Master.  JOHN  CUTLER,  S.  G.  W. 

WM.  BURBACK,  S.  Warden.  JOB  PRINCE,  J.  G.  W. 

RICHARD  SALTER,  J.  Warden.  NATH.  BARBER,  JR.,  G.  S. 
ELIAS  PARKMAN,  Secy. 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER.  245 

He  belonged  to  the  Agricultural  Society  of  Maine,  as 
appears  by  a  notice  to  him,  dated  January  i,  1819,  when 
the  late  Judge  Wilde  was  president.  It  was  signed  by 
John  Merrick,  Esq.,  who  died  at  Hallowell,  October  22, 
1862,  ninety-six  years  old. 

The  commodore  and  his  wife,  when  they  resided  in 
Boston,  attended  the  Episcopal  Church,  of  which  she 
was  a  communicant.  Often  in  his  family  would  he 
repeat  parts  and  passages  of  what  he  called  the  beautiful 
Church  Liturgy.  His  views  were  serious,  and  he  always 
spoke  with  reverence  of  religion. 

The  following  letter  to  the  author,  from  Professor  John 
Johnston,  LL.  D.,  of  the  Wesleyan  University,  Middle- 
town,  Connecticut,  refers  to  an  interesting  incident  il- 
lustrating that  decision  of  character  for  which  Com- 
modore Tucker  was  so  remarkable  :  — 

I  cheerfully  comply  with  your  request,  to  send  in  writing 
an  anecdote  of  the  late  Commodore  Tucker,  to  which 
allusion  was  made  in  our  conversation  a  few  days  ago. 

In  the  year  1832,  being  a  member  of  the  Senior  Class 
of  Bowdoin  College,  the  late  Professor  Parker  Cleaveland 
one  day  said  to  me,  he  noticed  from  the  catalogue  of  the 
college  that  I  was  from  the  town  of  Bristol,  and  then  pro- 
ceeded to  say,  that  he  supposed  he  was  indebted  to  a 
townsman  of  mine  for  the  preservation  of  his  life,  Com- 
modore Tucker!  On  my  replying  that  he  lived  a  few 
miles  from  my  father's,  but  I  knew  him  well,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  relate  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  which 
were  substantially  as  follows  :  — 


246  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

In  the  year  1816,  being  on  his  way  from  Brunswick  to 
Boston,  he  was  obliged  to  cross  a  ferry,  —  it  was  either  at 
Portsmouth  or  Newburyport,  —  and  the  weather  and  tide 
being  unfavorable,  the  boat  came  near  being  wrecked,  and 
all  on  board  lost.  For  some  reason,  soon  after  starting  from 
the  shore,  many  of  the  passengers  became  much  alarmed. 
-  and  no  little  confusion  prevailed  ;  but  the  boat  kept  on  her 
way.  The  alarm,  however,  rapidly  increased,  the  captain 
seemed  to  lose  his  presence  of  mind,  the  boat  became  quite 
unmanageable,  and  all  were  in  great  danger ;  but  just  at 
this  time,  the  loud,  sharp  voice  of  one  of  the  passengers 
was  heard  above  the  noise  and  confusion,  giving  orders  in 
a  very  authoritative  manner  to  those  having  charge  of  the 
boat ;  and  such  was  his  wonderful  self-possession  in  that 
time  of  peril,  and  such  the  confidence  he  inspired  in  all 
minds,  in  a  little  time  perfect  order  was  restored,  all 
yielded  a  cheerful  obedience  to  the  commands  of  their 
new  friend,  and  soon  they  were  landed  in  safety. 

Their  preserver  —  for  such  he  considered  him  —  proved 
to  be  Commodore  Tucker,  of  Bristol,  whom  he  had  ever 
since  remembered  with  the  sincerest  gratitude. 

The  Portsmouth  ferry  must  have  been  referred  to,  for 
at  that  time  there  was  no  bridge  between  Portsmouth  and 
Kittery.  A  bridge  was  first  opened  for  passengers  Sep- 
tember 10,  1822.  This  ferry,  from  the  rapidity  of  the  tide, 
was  dangerous  in  bad  weather. 

A  nephew  of  the  commodore,  John  T.  Gleason,  of  New 
York,  who  has  since  deceased,  stated  to  the  author  that 
the  father  of  the  late  Commodore  Barren  was  a  lieutenant 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  247 

on  board  of  one  of  his  uncle's  ships  of  war,  was  fatally 
wounded  in  an  action,  and  dying,  left  his  son  to  Tucker's 
care,  who  put  him  to  school  in  Boston.  Mr.  Gleason 
stated  that  this  was  told  him  by  his  uncle. 

He  was  a  man  of  tender  heart,  he  felt  deeply  for  the 
misfortunes  of  others,  and  such  feelings  extended  even 
to  individuals  who  had  wronged  and  injured  him.  An 
interesting  incident  of  this  kind  is  related  of  him  when  he 
was  a  member  of  the  legislature  of  Maine,  which  was 
sitting  in  Portland.  It  must  have  occurred  in  1820 
or  1821. 

As  he  was  walking  in  the  street,  he  accidentally  came 
across  Major  C.,  the  gentleman  to  whom  in  November, 
1785,  he  lent  United  States  scrip,  amounting  to  eighteen 
thousand  two  hundred  dollars  —  referred  to  in  Chapter  IX., 
page  170  —  to  save  him  from  bankruptcy  and  ruin.  For 
this  loan,  which  was  to  have  been  paid  in  a  week,  he 
never  received  one  cent.  More  than  thirty-five  years  had 
passed  since  that  transaction,  when  Commodore  Tucker 
immediately  accosted  him,  and  reminded  him  of  the 
debt.  Major  C.  did  not  know  him,  and  denied  the 
fact. 

"  Your  words  are  useless,"  was  the  answer :  "  I  should 
know  that  face  among  ten  thousand." 

The  veteran  returned  to  his  lodgings,  and  despatched 
word  to  his  family  to  send  on  immediately  a  small  box  of 
documents,  containing  the  receipt  which  the  borrower  of 
the  scrip  had  given  him.  On  arrival  of  the  papers,  ac- 
companied by  one  or  two  friends,  the  commodore  called 
upon  the  major,  whose  son  was  in  town,  and  whose 


248  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

presence  there  had  been  preconceived.  The  lender  and 
the  borrower  met  face  to  face.  Tucker  held  out  the 
written  receipt,  and  pointed  significantly  to  the  sig- 
nature, — 

"  Did  you  ever  see  that  writing  before?  " 

"  Never." 

The  major's  son  was  now  desired  to  examine  the  paper. 
He  came  forward,  looked  at  it  for  a  moment,  then  laid 
it  down. 

"  Father,"  he  exclaimed,  in  a  broken  voice,  "  this  is 
worse  than  all !  To  stand  here,  before  us  all,  and  deny 
your  own  name,  and  the  marks  of  your  own  pen — I 
cannot  bear  it." 

The  conscience-stricken  soldier  burst  into  a  flood  of 
tears.  "  O,  my  God  !  "  he  cried,  "  it  is  true.  Take  all  I 
have  !  my  pension  —  it  is  all  I  have  left.  Take  it.  I  will 
go  to  the  almshouse,  and  die  a  pauper !  " 

The  moisture  gushed  from  the  old  commodore's  eyes. 
"  No  !  "  he  said,  "  I  cannot  do  it.  The  money  your  coun- 
try gave  you  ;  it  was  coined  out  of  your  heart's  blood. 
Not  a  dollar  of  it  will  I  touch,  not  a  dollar.  Go  in  peace, 
my  old  friend.  God  forgive  you,  as  I  do."  And  he  turned 
and  left  him. 

The  commodore  was  fond  of  telling  humorous  stories ; 
and  he  tpld  them  well,  for  he  was  a  man  inclined  to  be 
jovial  and  of  a  ready  wit.  Some  of  his  facetious  sallies 
are  related  in  the  diary  of  Mr.  Adams,  in  his  passage  to 
France,  in  the  frigate  Boston,  which  may  be  found  in  the 
Life  and  Works  of  John  Adams,  by  his  grandson,  Honor- 
able Charles  Francis  Adams. 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL   TUCKER.  249 

A  few  anecdotes  have  been  gathered  for  this  biography, 
one  of  which  was  related  to  the  author  by  the  late 
Honorable  Albert  Smith,  of  Boston,  who  was  at  the  con- 
vention he  refers  to,  also  a  member  of  the  legislature  with 
Tucker,  and  afterwards  marshal  of  Maine. 

When  the  Representatives  of  Maine  were  preparing  to 
organize  their  first  legislature,  they  called  a  convention  for 
the  purpose.  Commodore  Tucker,  member  from  Bristol, 
being  the  oldest  person  present,  was  requested  to  take  the 
chair,  and  call  the  assembly  to  order,  until  a  president  was 
chosen  ;  which  he  did.  A  secretary  was  then  elected. 
Some  member  then  rose,  and  by  mistake  began  his  motion 
by  addressing  the  secretary,  when  the  commodore,  lift- 
ing up  his  voice,  exclaimed,  "Avast,  there!  I  am  not 
gone  yet." 

Another  anecdote  was  handed  me  by  a  gentleman,  who 
received  it  as  a  fact,  but  he  did  not  vouch  for  its  authen- 
ticity. I  'alcat  quantum  valere  potest. 

Commodore  Tucker  was  about  to  sail  from  Camden, 
Maine,  one  evening  after  dark.  Just  before  the  hour  of 
sailing  a  lady  of  genteel  appearance,  dressed  in  deep 
mourning,  closely  veiled,  and  apparently  in  great  afflic- 
tion, applied  to  him  to  take  the  body  of  her  deceased 
husband  on  board,  that  she  might  bury  it  among  her 
kindred  in  Massachusetts.  Overcome  by  her  solicitations 
he  consented,  though  reluctantly  ;  and  then  she  informed 
him  that  the  coffin  had  not  yet  arrived,  and  might  be 
delayed  two  or  three  hours,  and  begged  him  to  wait.  To 
this  also  he  assented,  .though  with  great  inconvenience 
to  himself.  It  was  nearly  eleven  o'clock  before  the  coffin 


250  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

arrived,  which  was  then  placed  in  the  hold,  and  the 
mourning  widow  was  accommodated  with  a  state-room 
near  the  body  of  her  husband. 

As  the  commodore  was  pacing  the  deck  at  night,  watch- 
ing the  movements  of  the  vessel  till  it  should  get  clear  of 
land,  the  man  at  the  helm,  a  shrewd  old  down-east  sea- 
man, says  to  him,  "  Commodore,  may  I  have  a  word  with 
yon?" 

"  Certainly,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Well,  commodore,  I  tell  ye,  I  don't  like  the  looks  of 
that  ere  widow  very  well." 

"  Why? "  says  the  commodore,  "  I  am  sure  she  is  a  very 
genteel  person,  and  though  closely  veiled,  apparently 
quite  attractive." 

"  Yes,"  says  the  old  sailor,  "  all  that ;  but  she  steps  the 
deck  too  much  like  a  naval  officer  to  suit  my  notions  of  a 
woman.  If  I  was  you,  commodore.  I  would  just  take  a 
look  at  that  coffin  before  I  turned  in  to-night." 

The  commodore's  suspicions  were  aroused,  and  furnish- 
ing his  pockets  with  suitable  instruments,  and  taking  a 
lantern,  he  went  into  the  hold,  and  first  subjected  the 
outside  of  the  coffin  to  a  close  scrutiny.  He  noticed  it 
was  a  very  large  one,  and  on  further  examination,  dis- 
covered a  slender  black  silk  cord  running  from  the  inside 
of  the  lid,  and  passing  through  a  crevice  into  the  state-room 
of  the  widow.  He  gently  raised  the  lid,  and  there  was  a 
stalwart  form,  quietly  sleeping,  dressed  in  the  uniform  of 
a  British  naval  officer,  and  abundantly  armed  with  sword, 
pike,  pistols,  &c.  Before  the  man  was  fully  awake,  the 
commodore  secured  his  wrists  with  handcuffs,  and,  per- 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  251 

einptorily  enjoining  silence  upon  him,  passed  into  the 
state-room  of  the  widow.  There  he  found  the  widow's 
weeds  hanging  upon  the  bulkhead,  and  a  young,  hand- 
some, beardless  British  naval  lieutenant  sitting  rather  un- 
easily on  the  side  of  his  berth.  He  was  also  instantly 
accommodated  with  handcuffs  ;  and  confronting  the  two, 
it  was  found,  that  by  the  aid  of  accomplices  among  the 
crew  who  lifted  the  coffin  on  board,  they  had  formed  a 
plot  to  seize  the  vessel,  as  soon  as  she  should  reach  the 
open  sea,  and  run  her  into  Halifax,  with  the  commodore, 
and  his  officers,  and  faithful  crew,  prisoners  of  war.  But 
the  handcuffs  were  already  on  their  wrists. 

The  Rev.  Professor  Calvin  E.  Stowe,  D.  D.,  of  Hart- 
ford, Connecticut,  related  this  incident  to  the  author :  — 

When  he  was  a  student  at  Bowdoin  College,  in  a  visit 
to  Portland,  he  happened  to  be  present  at  a  session  of 
the  Maine  legislature  when  Tucker  was  a  member.  A 
measure,  which  the  commodore  deemed  impolitic  and 
injurious  to  the  public  interest,  had  been  embodied  into  a 
bill,  and  was  on  the  point  of  being  enacted,  when  he  sud- 
denly rose  in  his  seat,  and  with  his  thundering  voice  ex- 
claimed, "  Mr.  Speaker,  you  may  force  this  law  by  a 
majority,  but  I  warn  you,  look  out  for  the  undertow ! " 
These  few  words  opened  the  eyes  of  the  majority,  and 
killed  the  bill. 

Congress  at  last  passed  a  law,  June  7*  l&32i  giving 
pensions  to  certain  officers  who  had  served  in  the  Re- 
volutionary war,  in  which  class  Commodore  Tucker 
was  included.  The  payment  commenced  March  4,  1831. 
Thus,  after  so  many  years  of  solicitude  and  depriva- 


252  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

tion,  this  veteran  commander  received  an  annuity  of  six 
hundred  dollars  for  the  remainder  of  his  life  ;  but  it  came 
almost  too  late  to  cheer  and  comfort  the  prospects  of 
futurity.  The  sun  was  already  descending  in  the  horizon 
of  life.  After  the  storms  and  trials  of  years,  true  it  is,  its 
setting  beams  shone  beautifully  ;  but  the  shades  of  evening 
were  near  —  he  was  soon  to  see  it  no  more  ! 

He  lived  to  enjoy  his  pension  as  captain  in  the  navy 
hardly  beyond  two  years.  He  had  become  an  old  man. 
Though  he  possessed  a  strong  and  sound  constitution,  and, 
like  many  other  pensioners,  had  a  fair  prospect  of  reaching 
even  a  hundred  years,  yet  Providence  otherwise  ordained. 
He  soon  experienced  bitter  sorrow  in  his  family.  He  was 
left  alone.  His  beloved  wife,  who  had  shared  with  him, 
for  sixty-three  years,  the  weal  and  woe  of  fortune,  was 
taken  from  him  not  many  months  before  his  own  death. 
Such  a  handsome  provision  for  their  comfort  and  inde- 
pendence, at  an  earlier  day.  when  both  were  younger,  and 
struggling  with  want,  would  have  been  a  real  boon  —  a 
harbinger  of  happier  hours.  Then  it  would  have  relieved 
him  from  years  of  anxiety  and  suffering,  as  he  looked 
around  on  his  tough,  rugged  acres,  and  thought  of  his 
cattle,  which  needed  to  be  housed  more  than  six  months 
of  the  year,  and  found  the  reality  too  real,  that  in  Maine 
the  life  of  a  farmer  was  the  pursuit  of  a  livelihood  under 
difficulties. 

For  nothing  wears  and  tears  the  human  constitution 
like  penury  in  old  age,  when  debts  make  the  sufferer  turn 
away  his  face  from  his  creditor,  and  the  wolf  is  at  the 
door.  Such  a  condition  takes  away  hope,  which  is  the 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  253 

sheet  anchor  of  the  soul,  and  chills  the  very  life-blood  of 
the  heart.  Surely  the  hands  of  the  old  ought  to  cease 
from  hard  labor,  and  age  be  exempted  from  all  harrowing 
anxieties  to  procure  food  and  raiment.  The  celebrated 
Junius,  in  his  advice  to  Mr.  Woodfall,  makes  this  sage 
observation  :  tk  Let  all  your  views  in  life  be  directed  to  a 
solid,  however  moderate,  independence.  Without  it,  no 
man  can  be  happy,  or  even  honest."  One  of  the  greatest 
sources  of  happiness  to  man  is,  in  the  words  of  Isaiah,  that 
"  bread  shall  be  given  him,  and  his  waters  shall  be  sure" 
But  there  is  no  certainty,  no  security,  in  the  duration  of 
human  life.  We  know  not  what  a  day  may  bring  forth. 
This  hearty,  robust,  powerful  man  was  assailed  by  disease. 
It  came  upon  him  suddenly  :  and  it  was  reported,  that 
from  the  imprudent  management  of  his  medical  adviser,  it 
soon  assumed  symptoms  that  were  fatal.  It  is  Homer, 
who  said  thousands  of  years  ago, — 

"  Fixed  is  the  term  of  all  the  race  of  earth, 
And  such  the  hard  condition  of  our  birth." 

He  died  at  his  home  in  Bremen,  after  a  short  but  sharp 
sickness.  Under  the  watchful  care  of  his  (laughter,  and  his 
grandson,  Colonel  Samuel  Tucker  Hinds,  he  expired  March 
10,  1833,  aged  eighty-five  years  and  four  months.  He  saw 
Death  —  the  greatest  of  mysteries  —  coming  towards  him, 
like  the  dark  angel,  at  whose  approach  almost  all  men 
tremble,  and  he  looked  him  firmly  in  the  face,  as  he  had 
done  on  the  ocean  in  the  day  of  battle.  A  few  hours 
before  his  departure,  while  the  late  General  Denny 
M'Cobb,  collector  at  Waldoboro',  was  standing  at  his 


254  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

bedside,  he  said,  u  Well,  general,  I  am  about  to  pass 
away  to  that  world  from  which  no  traveller  has  returned. 
You  are  soon  to  follow  me.  I  hope  and  trust  we  shall 
meet  there,  where  no  pain  nor  sorrow  will  disturb  us,  and 
be  happy  in  the  smiles  and  favor  of  Heaven.  My  trust  is 
in  CHRIST.  Farewell."  Gently  and  calmly  he  soon  after 
breathed  his  last. 

He  retained  to  the  last  of  a  long  life  an  unwavering 
loyalty  to  his  country.  Less  than  five  months  before  his 
death^  in  one  of  the  Maine  newspapers  appeared  a  circular 
signed  Samuel  Tucker,  to  the  surviving  officers  and 
soldiers  of  the  Revolution,  denouncing  the  selection  of 
General  Andrew  Jackson  as  a  candidate  for  the  presi- 
dency. He  began  it  by  reference  to'himself,  —  "  Fourscore 
and  six  years  old,  standing  on  the  confines  of  another 
world."  It  is  full  of  the  ardor  of  youth,  which,  surviving 
still,  like  volcanic  fires  beneath  a  mountain  top  covered 
with  snow,  was  hidden,  but  not  extinguished,  under  his 
white  locks  of  age.  He  gave  his  honest  opinion.  Perhaps, 
from  a  different  standpoint,  his  view  of  that  distinguished 
man  would  have  been  less  harsh,  for  President  Jackson 
certainly  upheld  the  Union  when  Nullification  first 
showed  its  hydra  head. 

There  were  many  noble  traits  in  the  character  of 
Commodore  Tucker.  As  a  son  and  a  father,  he  was 
very  affectionate.  He  sustained  his  aged  mother  to 
the  last  of  her  long  and  lingering  life.  His  widowed 
daughter,  Mrs.  Mary  Hinds,  soon  after  the  death  of 
her  husband,  Captain  Benjamin  Hinds,  found  a  home 


LIFE    OF   SAMUEL    TUCKER.  255 

in  his  family  while  he  lived,  and  survived  him  many 
years.  That  a  good  son  seldom,  if  ever,  fails  to  make  a 
good  husband,  was  verified  in  his  conjugal  and  domestic 
life. 

His  personal  appearance  was  striking,  and  always 
accompanied  with  dignity.  He  was  a  man  five  feet  and 
nearly  nine  inches  in  height,  very  muscular,  strongly  built, 
and  remarkably  broad  across  the  chest.  At  an  earlier 
period  of  his  life  he  must  have  wielded  the  broadsword 
with  much  skill  and  force,  for  he  was  said  to  have  been 
an  adroit  swordsman.  His  weight  was  usually  about  two 
hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds,  and  his  erect  and  active 
figure,  well  proportioned  and  solid,  seemed  to  move,  in 
the  street,  as  though  walking  the  quarter-deck  ol"  a  frigate, 
with  the  air  of  one  having  authority. 

His  features  were  well  defined  and  marked  ;  —  an  aqui- 
line, or  Roman  nose,  a  mouth  expressive  of  decision,  a 
clear,  broad  forehead,  dark  eyebrows,  and  deep  blue  eyes, 
are  well  remembered  ;  though  when  I  last  saw  him,  his 
locks,  which  were  said  in  his  youth  to  have  been  hand- 
some and  curly,  were  white  as  snow.  His  portrait,  though 
not  perfect,  is  a  pretty  good  likeness.  It  was  copied  from 
an  oil  painting  taken  in  England.  His  voice  was  un- 
usually loud,  even  in  common  conversation  :  there  was 
nothing  soft  or  gentle  in  its  intonations.  It  was  like 
thunder,  but  it  was  without  passion  or  excitement.  He 
had  spent  much  of  his  early  and  midday  life  at  sea  ;  and 
probably  from  habit  of  giving  orders  amidst  the  roar  of 
winds  and  billows,  he  found  it  necessary  to  pitch  his  key 
to  a  sonorous,  deep,  and  heavy  note,  and  it  became  ever 


256  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

after  a  second  nature.  He  retained  his  hearing,  sight, 
and  memory  to  the  hour  when  the  fatal  disease  of  four 
days  overpowered  him. 

Though  often  exposed  during  the  war  to  great  peril, 
and  sometimes  to  the  shot  of  the  enemy,  he  escaped  any 
permanent  and  serious  injury.  On  board  of  the  Boston, 
in  her  voyage  to  France,  during  a  violent  storm,  he  was 
knocked  down  and  stunned  by  a  piece  of  spar  the  lightning 
had  splintered,  yet  he  was  not  seriously  hurt.  Once  a 
pistol  shot,  in  a  naval  engagement,  grazed  one  of  his  ribs, 
but  it  was  only  a  flesh  wound  ;  and  at  another  time  a 
cannon  ball  struck  one  of  the  timbers  near  where  he  stood, 
and  a  fragment  of  it  entered  his  leg,  making  a  wound 
which  occasionally  was  troublesome  through  life,  but  did 
not  lame  him. 

The  obsequies  of  this  naval  hero  were  performed  in  a 
manner  honorable  to  his  memory.  Many  came  to  his 
funeral  from  a  great  distance ;  but  as  the  day  was  bleak, 
and  the  travelling  bad  at  that  inclement  season,  hun- 
dreds were  deprived  of  paying  their  last  respects  to  one 
so  much  beloved  by  his  townsmen.  His  remains  were 
laid  in  a  grave  in  the  Bremen  cemetery.  This  burial- 
place  lies  on  the  declivity  facing  the  east,  where  about  an 
acre  or  two  are  enclosed  by  the  side  of  the  county  road. 
It  is  full  of  the  mementos  of  mortality,  and  among  them 
are  two  neat  marble  monuments.  The  spot  is  picturesque  : 
glimpses  of  the  river  are  seen  beyond  the  woods,  and  at  a 
distance  the  blue  Camden  mountains  loom  up.  For  why 
should  not  the  dead  repose  in  the  most  beautiful  parts  of 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  257 

the  earth,  that  we  may  think  of  heaven  when  we  think  of 
their  last  home  ? 

The  roadside  is  lined  by  a  row  of  evergreens,  the 
juniper,  the  fir,  and  the  cedar ;  and  this  cemetery,  com- 
pared to  many  burial-grounds  in  the  country,  is  credi- 
table to  the  town  of  Bremen.  The  stranger  who  visits  this 
spot  will  observe  one  green  mound,  and  at  the  head  of  it  a 
slate  slab,  upright,  with  an  urn  beneath  a  willow  foliage, 
and  on  it  is  inscribed, — 

IN  MEMORY  OF 
COM.    SAMUEL    TUCKER, 

Who  Died 

March   10,  1833. 

A  PATRIOT  OF  THE  REVOLUTION. 

On  one  side  is  the  grave  of  his  wife,  Mary,  who 
died  December  31,  1832,  and  on  the  other,  that  of  his 
daughter,  Mary  Hinds,  who  died  November  25,  1855. 
To  their  memory  marble  stones  have  been  erected. 

In  the  American  Almanac,  for  1835,  there  is  a  short 
obituary  of  him. 

"March  10,  1833.  At  Bremen,  Maine,  in  his  eighty- 
sixth  year,  Commodore  Samuel  Tucker.  He  was  born  at 
Marblehead,  in  i747>  was  apprenticed  to  the  sea  service 
at  the  age  of  eleven  years ;  received  a  commission  as 
Commodore  in  the  early  part  of  the  Revolutionary  war ; 
and  was  distinguished  as  a  brave,  able,  and  successful 
commander.  He  is  said  to  have  been  at  the  time  of 

'7 


258  LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER. 

his  death,   next  to   General    Lafayette,   the   highest   sur- 
viving officer  of  the  Revolution." 

Who  can  look  upon  the  humble  memorial  of  a  man 
thus  distinguished  in  the  Revolution,  —  a  PIONEER  of  the 
American  navy,  so  illustrious  in  the  history  of  our  coun- 
try, —  and  feel  no  sorrow  that  a  generous  people  had  not 
consecrated  his  grave  by  a  durable  monument  fraught 
with  their  gratitude  and  worthy  of  his  exploits? 

Pie  did  his  part,  and  did  it  nobly,  when  our  navy  was 
in  an  embryo  state,  and  only  consisted  of  a  few  armed 
sloops  and  schooners,  and  yet  performed  such  essential 
service  in  supplying  the  destitute  army  of  Washington. 
He  was  not  alone.  WThipple,  Manly,  Jones,  and  others, 
in  such  small  armaments,  also  laid  the  foundation  of  their 
future  fame.  Their  daring  little  cruisers  were  rudimental 
schools,  in  which  brave  and  experienced  officers  and 
marines  were  educated  to  man  those  frigates  which  were 
afteVvvards  built  by  order  of  Congress. 

"  Tantum  molis  erat  Roinanam  condere  gentem." 

Through  such  a  mass  of  difficulties  was  the  American 
navy  created,  —  a  navy,  which  was  glorious  in  the  Revo- 
lution, gained  so  many  brilliant  victories  in  the  last  war 
with  Great  Britain,  and  in  the  late  unhappy  Rebellion, 
under  gallant  officers  and  brave  men,  surpassed  all  its 
former  achievements ! 

In  this  age  of  progress  and  of  wonders,  in  a  nation  of 
more  than  thirty  millions  of  people,  and  with  a  territory 
extending  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  Ocean,  is  it 


LIFE    OF    SAMUEL    TUCKER.  259 

right,  is  it  grateful,  to  ignore  the  merits,  and  neglect  the 
exploits,  of  those  who  first  led  the  way  to  victory  and 
independence,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  our  naval 
superiority?  They  have  all  gone  to  their  rest!  Fifty 
years  ago  they  warmed  the  hearts  of  the  patriot,  and 
their  names  and  deeds  were  fresh  on  every  tongue.  Now 
they  are  almost  forgotten.  And  yet,  do  they  not  deserve 
a  niche  in  the  Temple  of  Fame —  a  place  among  the 
biographies  of  departed  worth? 


APPENDIX. 


r  I  ""HE  following  Appendix  contains  a  copy  of  the  Journal  or 
-^  Log-Book  of  Captain  Tucker,  in  the  frigate  Boston,  when  he 
took  charge  of  the  Hon.  John  Adams  and  son,  to  France.  It  is 
transcribed  from  the  original,  found  among  his  papers.  It  com- 
mences on  the  iQth  of  February,  1778,  and  terminates  October  2, 
1778.  The  remainder  of  thirteen  days,  until  Commodore  Whipple's 
squadron  arrived  at  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  is  wanting.  Other  docu- 
ments, selected  from  a  mass  of  manuscripts,  may  be  of  some  inter- 
est, particularly  the  muster-roll  of  the  frigate  Boston  on  the  next 
cruise,  which  comprises  nearly  three  hundred  names,  of  officers, 
marines,  and  seamen,  among  whom  some  of  the  living  descendants 
maybe  enabled  to  trace  their  descent  from  ancestors  who  defended 
our  country  in  the  Revolution. 

For  this  valuable  document  of  a  full  muster-roll  of  the  frigate 
Boston,  in  1778  and  1779,  the  author,  with  pleasure,  acknowledges 
his  obligation  to  the  Hon.  James  Gregory,  of  Marblehead,  formerly 
collector  of  that  port,  and  since  a  member  of  the  Senate  of 
Massachusetts.  From  that  gentleman  he  received  much  useful 
information  in  preparing  this  life  of  Commodore  Tucker. 


262  APPENDIX. 


I.     COPY  OF  COMMODORE  TUCKER'S  LOG-BOOK. 

A  Journal  of  a  Cruise,  by  God's  permission,  in  the  good  Ship  called 
the  Boston,  appertaining  to  the  United  States  of  America, 

On  the  nth  of  February,  embarked  on  board  a  pilot  boat  at 
Boston,  and  went  down  to  Nantasket  Roads,  on  board  said  Boston 
frigate,  the  ship  being  ready  for  sea.  The  wind  and  weather  pre- 
vented my  going  this  day,  the  former  being  S.  E.,  and  latter  very 
thick  and  full  of  rain. 

Nothing  more  remarkable  this  day 

Remarks  on  Thursday,  February  12.  1778. 

This  morning,  after  overhauling  my  ship's  stores,  found  several 
necessary  articles  omitted  by  being  so  much  hurried,  which  I  sent 
to  town  for  immediately,  by  Mr.  Barren,  my  first  lieutenant,  and 
Richard  Palmer,  Esq.,  captain  of  marines,  who  proceeded  in  the 
same  boat  that  brought  me  down,  but  the  wind  being  strong  from 
the  N.  W.  they  could  not  reach  the  town  until  midnight,  and  I 
could  not  possibly  unmoor  ship. 

Here  ends  these  twenty-four  hours. 

Remarks  on  Friday,  February  13,  1778. 

This  morning,  still  continues  fresh  gales  from  the  N.  W.,  which 
prevents  me  from  unmooring;  still  I  having  some  capital  business 
at  Braintree,  sent  my  boat  on  shore  to  George's  Island,  and 
brought  off  a  pilot  to  conduct  me  there.  At  10  A.  M.  proceeded 
there,  finished  my  business,  and  returned  on  board  by  5  P.  M., 
where  I  found  my  officers,  to  my  satisfaction,  returned  from  Boston, 
with  all  my  necessaries  I  indented  for,  except  it  was  pistols.  I 
thought  proper  to  send  my  ship's  master,  Mr.  Bates,  on  board  of 
a  .schooner  for  wood,  which  lay  in  the  Road.  Mr.  Bates,  not  liking 
the  wood,  returned  and  acquainted  me. 

So  ends  this  day.     Still  blowing  from  the  N.  W.  hard  gales. 


APPENDIX.  263 

Remarks  on  Saturday,  February  14,  1778. 

This  morning,  at  5  A.  M.,  began  to  unmoor,  still  blowing  fresh 
gales.  At  2  P.  M.  got  oi.e  anchor  on  board  after  a  hard  and 
heavy  piece  of  work]  at  3  do.,  put  my  pilot  for  Braintree  on  shore. 
Very  clear  weather,  with  fresh  gales. 

So  ends  this  day.     Nothing  more  material. 

Remarks  on  Sunday,  February  15,  1778. 

This  morning,  at  6  A.  M.,  began  to  heave  ahead;  at  8  do.  got 
under  way,  and  proceeded  to  Marblehead  for  some  of  my  officers 
and  men ;  at  2  P.  M.  came  to  anchor  after  firing  several  signal 
guns;  at  4  P.  M.  sent  my  large  boat  on  board  a  coaster,  and 
furnished  the  ship  with  three  cords  of  wood. 

So  ends  this  day.   • 

Remarks  on  Monday,  February  16,  1778. 

This  morning,  the  wind  being  N.  E.,  and  blowing  quick,  I 
weighed  my  anchor  and  dropped  farther  up  the  harbor.  Very  full 
of  rain.  I  then  seeing  no  probability  of  going  to  sea,  gave  two 
midshipmen,  two  mates,  and  my  purser,  liberty  to  go  on  shore. 
At  2  A.  M.  the  wind  got  round  to  northward;  I  desired  prepara- 
tion to  be  made  for  getting  under  way,  fired  several  guns  to 
bring  my  officers  off,  but  finally  I  was  obliged  to  go  and  bring 
them  on  board,  and  after  a  great  deal  of  trouble  got  them  on 
board;  the  wind  in  the  time  had  risen  so  high  that  I  could  not  get 
under  way  until  7  A.  M.,  on  Tuesday,  I7th ;  do.,  then  weighed 
anchor,  and  came  to  sea,  firing  seven  guns  for  a  salute. 

Remarks  on  Tuesday,  February  17,  1778. 

At  7  A.  M.,  fresh  gales  of  fair  weather;  the  main  gears  broke, 
then  I  had  the  yard  slung  with  a  chain.  The  people  employed  as 
usual. 


APPENDIX. 


Remarks  OH  Wednesday,  February  18,  1778. 

At  7  P.  M.,  weighed  anchor  and  came  to  sea  with  a  pleasant 
gale  from  the  N.  \V. ;  at  8  do.,  Cape  Ann  bore  of  us  N.  N.  E., 
distance  about  three  leagues,  from  which  I  take  my  departure. 
Pray  God  conduct  me  safe  to  France,  and  send  me  a  prosperous 
cruise.  Middle  and  latter  parts  of  this  twenty-four  hours  very 
clear,  and  pleasant  gales. 

Lat.  of  Cape  Ann,  42°  46'  North.     Long.  69°  45'  West. 
8  5 

Lat.  in  42°  38'  Long,  in  69°  50'  West. 

Lat.  by  obs.  41°  53'  X. 


Course. 

Diet. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  in. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

Mer.  disk 

S.69°E 

127  m. 

45'  S. 

n6E. 

45-53  N. 

2.36  E. 

67.14 

n6E. 

Remarks  on  Thursday,  the  ityth  of  February,  1778. 

This  twenty-four  hours  begins  very  pleasant,  and  a  prosperous 
gale  W.  N.  W.  My  people  employed  clearing  ship  and  other 
necessary  duty;  at  6  A.  M.  saw  three  large  ships  bearing  east; 
they  standing  to  the  northward.  I  mistrusted  they  were  a  cruising 
for  me.  I  hauled  my  wind  to  the  southward,  found  they  did  not 
pursue.  I  then  consulted  my  officers,'  to  stand  to  the  northward 
after  them.  We  agreed  in  opinions;  wore  ship,  run  one  hour  to 
the  northward,  then  I  discovered  that  one  was  a  ship  not  less  than 
ourselves,  one  out  of  sight  to  the  northward,  and  the  other 
appeared  to  me  and  officers  to  be  a  twenty-gun  ship.  The  man 
at  the  mast-head  called  out  a  ship  on  the  weather-quarter.  At 
that  time  the  other  two  under  our  lee,  and  under  short  sail.  I 
then  consulted  the  Honorable  John  Adams,  Esq.,  and  my  officers, 
what  was  best  to  do ;  not  knowing  how  my  ship  may  sail,  one  and 
all  consented  to  stand  to  the  southward  from  them.  At  10  A.  M., 
I  then  wore  ship  to  the  southward,  and  stood  from  them.  The 
two  that  were  under  my  lee  before  I  wore,  immediately  wore  and 


APPENDIX. 


265 


stood  after  me.     At  12  on  meridian,  lost  sight  of  the  small  ship, 
and  the  other  was  about  three  leagues  under  my  lee-quaster. 
So  ends  this  twenty-four  hours. 

Lat.  by  obs.  41°  28'  N. 


Course. 

Uist. 

X  Lat 

Depart. 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

Meridian. 

S.  81  E. 

156 

25'  S. 

154  E.    4i°28'N 

3°  24'  E 

63°  50' 

270 

Remarks  on  Friday,  the  2oth  February,  1778. 

This  twenty-four  hours  begins  very  pleasant,  the  ship  still  in 
chase.  I  being  poorly  manned  dare  not  attack  her,  and  many 
other  principal  reasons.  At  2  P.  M.  set  fore  and  main  top-mast 
steering  sails,  found  I  left  the  ship  at  6  P.  M. ;  it  being  dark, 
lost  sight  of  the  ship;  in  small  sails,  and  hauled  my  wind,  the 
cruiser  supposing  I  bore  away  to  steer  the  course  I  was  going. 
When  she  saw  me  first,  bore  away  and  run  E.  S.  E.,  while  I  for 
seven  or  eight  hours  had  been  running  four  points  more  southerly, 
at  the  rate  of  seven  knots,  brought  her,  in  my  opinion,  to  bear  off 
me  E.  N.  E.,  distance  about  eleven  and  half  leagues.  Then  the 
wind  headed  me  ;  I  fell  off  to  E.  N.  E. ;  then  running  at  the  rate  of 
six  knots  for  three  hours,  saw  the  same  ship  direct  ahead,  stand- 
ing to  southward  and  westward  about  five  leagues  distance ;  hove 
in  stays,  after  making  of  her  plain,  and  stood  to  the  westward, 
because  I  could  not  weather  her  on  the  former  tack.  After  run- 
ning three  hours  to  the  westward  the  wind  favored  me.  I  then  hove 
in  stays,  and  came  to  windward  of  the  frigate  about  four  miles,  and 
was  entirely  satisfied  it  was  the  same  ship  about  four  miles  under 
my  lee-quarter.  They  again  tacked  ship,  and  continued  chasing 
that  day.  but  I  found  I  rather  left  my  enemy. 

Lat.  by  observation  to-day,  40°  02'  N. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long  in. 

M.  Dist. 

S.43°E. 

118  m. 

86  S. 

Som.E. 

40.02  N. 

46  m.E. 

64.04 

350  E. 

266 


APPENDIX. 


Remarks  on  Saturday,  the  2ist  February,  1778. 

This  twenty-four  hours  begins  with  fresh  gales  and  cloudy. 
Still  chased  by  that  ship  at  4  P.  M.  Variable  winds  ;  at  6  do.,  calm  ; 
at  7  sprung  up  a  breeze  from  the  N.  E.,  run  until  10  P.  M.,  S.  S.  E., 
attended  with  sharp  lightning,  and  hard  thunder;  in  small  sails, 
cleared  ship  ready  for  an  attack;  at  12  midnight,  the  lightning 
struck  the  ship's  mainmast  and  topmast,  and  wounded  three  men, 
struck  several  others  down.  Though  we  were  in  great  danger, 
received  but  little  damage.  Latter  part  fresh  gales  and  rain  —  saw 
no  more  of  the  ship.  The  sea  being  very  cross  and  high,  forced 
me  to  scud  before  the  wind  under  my  foresail,  a  very  dangerous 
sea  raging. 

So  ends  this  twenty-four  hours,  with  hard  gales,  scudding. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X.  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

1 

X  Long.   1  Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

S-37E. 

130  m. 

89  S. 

66m.E. 

38.33  N. 

85m.  EJ   60.39 

4i6m.E 

Remarkable  Observations  on  board  the  Boston  Frigate,  Sunday, 
22d  February,  1778. 

This  twenty-four  hours  begins  with  heavy  gales,  and  a  dangerous 
sea  running;  one  thing  or  another  continually  giving  away  on 
board  ship.  Our  ship  made  a  great  deal  of  water  in  several  places, 
which  caused  the  chain  pumps  continually  to  be  kept  at  work. 
At  5  P.  M.  hove  to  under  foresail,  and  lying  very  uneasy  and 
dangerous.  At  2  A.  M.  bore  away  and  run  before  the  wind  to 
prevent  any  further  damage  if  possible.  At  2,  the  above-mentioned 
time,  received  a  very  heavy  sea,  but  sustained  little  damage.  At 
half  past  3  A.  M.  discovered  our  foresail  was  split  in  the  larboard 
leash,  but  could  not  prevent  it  at  that  time  for  the  distress  we  were 
at  that  time  in.  I  little  expected  but  to  be  dismasted,  as  I  was 
almost  certain  I  heard  the  mainmast  spring  below  the  deck;  after- 


APPENDIX. 


267 


wards  discovered  the  truth  of  it.     Still  continues  an  extremity  of 
•weather. 

So  ends  this  day.     Pray  God  protect  us.  and  carry  us  through 
our  various  troubles. 

Lat.  obs.  in  37°  and  i'  North. 


Course. 

Dist.       |    X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

SI.  Dis. 

S.29°E 

106  m.  192  m.  S|53  m.  E 

37°oi'  N 

i.oSE. 

59-3'  W 

469  E. 

Remarkable  Observations  on  Monday,  February  23,  1778. 

This  twenty-four  hours  begins  with  hard  gales  and  close  weather, 
running  under  foresail.  At  2  P.  M.  I  thought  proper  to  haul  the 
foresail  up,  hand  it,  lay  by  under  mizzen.  At  3  do.  got  down  top- 
gallant yards.  At  4  do.  carried  away  the  slings  and  chain  of  the 
mizzen  yard,  furled  the  mizzen,  and  set  the  mizzen  staysail.  Mid- 
dle part  continues  fresh  gales.  At  4  A.  M.,  something  moderate, 
made  sail  and  began  to  repair  the  rigging,  it  being  much  shattered 
in  the  gale.  At  6  do.  saw  a  sail  to  the  N.  E.,  running  to  the  south- 
ward and  westward.  I  stood  on  to  the  southward  and  eastward 
about  half  an  hour.  She  crossed  me  about  a  league  to  wind- 
ward. I  supposed  her  to  be  a  French  merchantman  bound  to 
America.  I  then  wore  ship,  made  more  sail,  and  pursued  her,  for 
fear  she  should  not  be  one  of  them  ;  I  found  I  came  up  with  chase 
very  fast.  I  perceived  she  had  set  all  the  sail  she  possibly  could. 
I  then  crowded  sail.  About  n  A.  M.  it  came  full  of  rain,  and  I 
lost  sight  of  her  for  two  or  three  hours. 

Here  ends  this  day.  . 

No  observation. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

S.93E. 

56 

55m.S. 

9E. 

36.06  N. 

ii  m.  E 

59-20 

47801.  E 

268 


APPENDIX. 


Remarkable  Observations  on  Tuesday,  February  24,  1778. 

This-  day  begins  with  close  weather  and  rain.  At  2  P.  M.  got 
sight  of  our  chase,  which  strove  to  cross  me,  ahead  about  one 
league,  but  as  soon  as  they  discovered  me  they  kept  by  the  wind. 
I  then  came  up  with  her  very  fast.  When  I  came  up  within  a  mile 
and  a  half,  I  hoisted  American  colors.  I  then  took  a  squall  from 
the  west,  very  heavy,  carried  my  M.  T.  mast  overboard,  lost  nor 
wounded  no  man,  thanks  to  God !  She  seeing  that,  hoisted 
Normandy  colors,  fired  a  gun  to  leeward.  I  answered  one,  do.  I 
was  obliged  to  go  before  the  wind  until  the  squall  was  over.  The 
ship  seeing  my  distress,  bore  after  me,  and  run  N.  E.  for  about  half 
an  hour,  but  could  not  come  up  with  me,  though  I  was  under 
short  sail.  She  then  kept  the  wind,  and  stood  to  the  northward. 
1  had  the  good  fortune  to  save  my  sails  and  rigging,  though  very 
much  shattered.  Middle  and  latter  part  of  these  twenty-four 
hours  my  people  employed  clearing  rigging.  Something  moderate, 
with  rain. 

Latitude  observed  in  37°  10'  North. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  perObs. 

X  I.,,,-. 

Long   in. 

M.  Dist 

N.40E. 

84m. 

64m.N. 

54m.E. 

37.10  N: 

1.05  E. 

5S.i5W 

532ITI.E 

Remarks  on  Wednesday,  February  25,   1778,  on  board  the  Boston 
Frigate. 

Moderate  gales  with  a  tumbling  sea.  Emploj'ed  about  getting  a 
new  main-topmast  to  hand,  and  fixing  the  rigging.  At  2  P.  M. 
reefed  the  fore  and  mizzen  topsails  under  moderate  sail. 

Middle  and  latter  parts  moderate  gales  and  cloudy. 
Latitude  observed  in  37°  48'  North. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat 

Depart. 

Lat 

by  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in.       M.  Dis. 

N.  64  EJ      88 

38m.N. 

79  E. 

37- 

48  N. 

I-39E. 

1 

|56.36W|6um.E 

APPENDIX. 


269 


Remarks  on  Thursday,  February  26,  1778,  continued  on  board  the 
Boston. 

This  twenty-four  hours  begins  with  moderate  gales  and  smooth 
sea ;  got  a  new  main-topmast  up,  rigged  it,  and  at  6  P.  M.  bent 
the  M.  T.  sail. 

Middle  and  latter  parts  moderate  and  cloudy. 

Latitude  observed  in  38"  35'  North  lat. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

N.6o°E 

94m. 

47'  S. 

Sim.E. 

38.35  N. 

1.42'  E. 

54-54  W 

692 

Remarks  on   Friday,   February   27,    1778,    on  board  the  Boston 
Frigate. 

This  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  light  airs  and  calms.  At 
4  P.  M.  my  people  employed  one  hour  exercising  great  guns  and 
small  arms. 

Nothing  more  remarkable  this  day. 

My  people  employed  as  usual  about  necessary  duty. 
Lat.  in  by  observation  38°  18'  N. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart.    |Lat.  by  Obs. 

1 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

Mer. 

S.36-E. 

21  m. 

17'  S. 

12  rn.E.!  38.18  N. 

i5m.E. 

54-39w 

704m.  E 

Remarks  on  Saturday,  February  28,  1778,  on  board  the  Boston. 

This   twenty-four   hours   begins   with   moderate   and   pleasant 
breezes ;  my  people  employed  mending  my  sails  and  getting  my 


270 


APPENDIX. 


T.  G.  yard  up.     Middle  and  latter  parts  very  unsteady  winds  and 
disagreeable  weather.     Nothing  very  remarkable  this  day  pa^t. 
Lat.  by  obs.  in  39°  n'  North. 


Course. 

Dist 

X.  Lat. 

Depart 

I.at.  by  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

Mer.  D. 

N.45E. 

75m.  N 

53m.  N 

53in.E. 

39.11  N. 

i.Sm.E 

53-3'W 

757  E. 

Remarkable  Observations  on  board  the  Boston  Frigate,   Sunday, 
March  r,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  moderate  breezes.  At 
6  P.  M.  set  M.  G.  S.  The  latter  part  cloudy  with  fresh  breezes. 
Nothing  very  remarkable  this  day. 

Lat.  by  obs.  40°  26'  North. 


Mistook 
Course. 

Mistook 
Dis. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  D. 

176 

64  E. 

75  m-  N 

15901.  E 

40.26  N. 

3.22'  E. 
short  8' 

50.09 

916111.  E 

Remarks  on  Monday,  March  2,  1778,  on  board  the  Boston. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  fresh 
breezes  and  hazy  weather.  At  i  P.  M.  found  our  mainmast 
sprung;  down  M.  T.  G.  yard;  the  carpenters  employed  in  fixing 
the  mainmast,  The  middle  and  latter  part  fresh  breezes  and 
cloudy  weather.  Nothing  else  remarkable  this  day. 

My  people  employed  as  usual  about  necessary  duty. 
Lat.  by  obs.  41°  38'  No. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

N.62°E 

156 

72  N. 

37  E. 

41.38  N. 

3.00  E. 

47.09W 

1053  E. 

APPENDIX. 


271 


Remarkable  Observations  on  Tuesday,  March  3,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  a  fine 
breeze  of  wind.  The  middle  and  latter  part,  fresh  breezes  and 
cloudy  weather. 

My  people  employed  as  usual  about  necessary  duty. 

Nothing  very  remarkable  this  day. 

Lat.  per  obs.  42°  48'  No. 


Course. 

J)ist.            X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

Mcr.  Dis. 

N-7o°E 

scorn. 

70  N. 

iSSm.E 

42.48  N. 

4.24  E. 

42-45W 

1241  E. 

Remarkable  Observations  on  Wednesday,  March  4,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  moderate  gales  and  rain  ; 
winds  variable. 

The  middle  and  latter  part  fresh  breezes  and  pleasant  weather. 
People  employed  as  usual  about  necessary  duty. 
Nothing  more  remarkable  this  day. 

Lat.  per  obs.  42°  15'  No. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat 

Depart. 

Latin. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dii. 

E.63iS 

136  m. 

33S. 

132  E. 

42.15  N. 

2.58  E. 

39-47W 

1373  E. 

Remarkable  Observations  on  Thursday,  March  5,  1778. 

This  twenty-four  hours  begins  with  fresh  and  pleasant  gales; 
all  small  sails  set,  striving  my  utmost  to  gain  a  passage.  Clear 
and  pleasant  weather. 

Middle  and  latter  parts  continue  the  same. 

Lat.  in  by  obs.  43°  43'  North. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat 

Depart 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

Mer.  D. 

N.54°E 

150  m. 

88m.  N. 

i2irn.E 

43-43  N. 

2-46E. 

37.01  W 

1494  E. 

272 


APPENDIX. 


Continued  on  board  the  Boston  Frigate,  March  6,  1778. 

Friday,  this  twenty-four  hours  begins  and  ends  with  pleasant 
weather  and  fresh  gales  from  the  S.  S.  W.  Nothing  more  remark- 
able to  my  sorrow.  • 

Lat.  observed  in  44°  08'  North. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X.  Lat. 

Depart.     )      Lat.  in. 

X  Lung. 

Long.  in. 

31.  Dis. 

N.83E. 

2IO 

25m.  N 

2o8m.E 

44.08  N. 

4.  49  in  E 

32.I2\V 

1702  E. 

• 

Remarks  on  Saturday,  March  7,  1778,  on  board  the  Boston. 

Steady  gales  and  pleasant  weather.     All  small  sails  set.     Some 
part  of  this  daj'  employed  exercising  great  guns. 
Nothing  more  remarkable. 

Lat.  per  obs.  44°  oo'  North. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long  in. 

31.  D. 

s.  IE. 

190  m. 

8m.-S. 

igom. 

44.00  N. 

4.24  m. 

27.48 

1892 

Remarks  Sunday,  March  8,  1778;  on  board  the  Boston. 

The  first  part  of  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  steady  gales 
and  pleasant  weather. 

The  middle  and  latter  part  fresh  gales  attended  with  rain.  The 
people  employed  as  usual. 

Nothing  very  remarkable  this  day. 

Lat.  per  obs.  44°  oo'  No. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long.      Long.  in. 

M.  D. 

East. 

185  m. 

OO 

185  E. 

44.00  N. 

4.17  E. 

23-35  WJ2077  E. 

APPENDIX. 


273 


Remarks  on  Monday,  March  9,  fJjS,  on  board  the  Boston. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  steady 
Vjalcs  and  cloudy  weather,  breezes  and  fair. 
The  middle  and  latter  part  steady  weather. 
The  people  employed  as  usual  about  necessary  duty. 
Nothing  remarkable. 

Lat.  per  obs.  44°  08'  No. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Loog.    :  Long.  in. 

M.  D. 

E.  S. 

i  So  m  . 

8m.  N. 

i8oE. 

44.08  N. 

4-ioE. 

19.23 

2257  E. 

Remarks  on  Tuesday,  March  10,  1778,  on  board  the  Boston. 

The  fii>t  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  steady 
gales  and  pleasant  weather. 

The  middle,  fresh  gales  with  squalls  of  rain.  The  latter  part 
cloudy  weather  and  equallj7 ;  winds  variable ;  got  down  T.  G.  yards. 

The  people  employed  as  usual  on  necessary  duty. 

Nothing  more  remarkable. 

Lat.  per  obs.  44°  5'  No. 


Course. 

Dist. 

XLat. 

Dep. 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

. 

M.  D. 

East. 

195 

5'S. 

195  E. 

44.5  N. 

4.31  E. 

19.50 

2452  E. 

Remarks  on  Wednesday,  March  II,  1778,  on  board  the  Ship  Boston. 

The  first  part  of  these  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  fresh 
breezes  of  wind  and  flying  clouds.  At  i  P.  M.  saw  a  ship  to  the 
S.  E.  standing  to  the  west,  out  one  reef  of  the  topsails  and  then 
gave  chase.  At  3  P.  M.  came  up  with  her.  I  fired  a  gun  and  they 
returned  three,  and  then  down  colors.  I  ordered  the  boat  hoisted 

18 


274  APPENDIX. 

out,  and  sent  Mr.  Barren  and  Mr.  Reed  on  board,  who  sent  on 
board  us  Capt.  M'Intosh,  of  the  prize  ship,  and  some  of  the  crew. 
The  prize  is  called  the  Martha,  and  commanded  by  Peter  M'Intosh ; 
was  bound  from  London  to  New  York,  with  a  valuable  cargo  of 
provisions,  other  stores,  and  merchandise  of  different  sorts.  Sent 
Mr.  Tucker  on  board  for  the  night.  The  latter  part  my  people 
employed  in  bringing  prisoners  and  their  baggage  from  the  ship. 
The  names  of  the  prisoners  taken  in  the  Martha,  viz. :  — 

1.  Peter  M'Intosh, Commander. 

2.  Robert  Golch, Passenger. 

3.  John  Wallace, 

4.  Mr.  Bennet, First  Mate. 

5.  Andrew  Munroe,      ....  Second  Mate. 

6.  Hector  M'Kenzie,    .     .     .     .  Passenger. 

7.  Mordecai  Isaac, " 

8.  Michael  Levy,     ...•-.  " 

9.  Joseph  Staggs, Third  Mate. 

10.  Alexander  Webster,     .     .     .     Boatswain. 

11.  John  Main, Cook. 

12.  John  Williams, Captain's  Steward. 

13.  (Not  named) Carpenter. 

14.  John  M'Kenzie, Mate. 

15.  Robert  Hutchins. 

16.  Ralph  Prescott. 

17.  John  Pratt. 

18.  Andrew  Berry. 

19.  Daniel  Swords. 

20.  Thomas  Woodnot. 

21.  Archibauld  Frazier. 

22.  Peter  Mitch. 

23.  David  Morey. 

24.  Jeremiah  Shaw. 

25.  James  Bushell. 

26.  Benjamin  Bushell. 


APPENDIX. 


275 


27.  John  Cockran. 

28.  Peter  Nowlan. 

29.  James  Duncan. 

30.  Robert  Wells. 

31.  Joseph  Esther. 

32.  Richard  Jones. 

33.  William  Jordan. 

34.  J.  P.  Wevner,     . 


Doctor. 


Lat.  per  obs.  43°  45'. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

Mer.  Dis. 

S.8o°E 

55  m- 

22   S. 

54m.  E. 

43-45 

1.15  E. 

13-35 

2506  E. 

Remarks  on  Thursday,  March  12,  1778,  on  board  Ship  Boston. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  moderate 
gales  and  fair  weather.  At  3  P.  M.  I  dismissed  Lieutenant  Welsh, 
whom  I  had  appointed  prize-master  of  the  Martha,  and  saluted 
him  with  seven  guns.  My  orders  were'  for  him  to  proceed  for 
Boston.  At  5  P.  M.  the  Martha  bore  W.  N.  W.  Distance  two 
leagues. 

The  latter  part  flattering  winds  and  cloudy. 

The  people  employed  as  usual. 

Lat.  per  obs.  43°  29'. 


Course. 

Dist 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

Mer.  Dis. 

S.63E. 

35m. 

i6m.  S. 

3irn.E. 

43.29  N. 

43m.E. 

I2-52W 

2537  E. 

Remarks  on  Friday,  March  13,  1778,  on  board  Ship  Boston. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  light  gales 
cf  wind.    At  9  P.  M.  wore  ship  and  stood  to  the  southward.     At 


276 


APPENDIX. 


II  A.  M.  saw  a  sail  bearing  east  from  us,  standing  to  the  west- 
ward and  north.     Cleared  ship  ready  for  engagement. 
Nothing  more  remarkable. 

Lat.  by  obs.  43°  54'. 


Course. 

Dist. 

. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  in. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dist. 

XT«_tU 

~  --,»,    T7 

North,  i      25 


25m.  N|      oo         43.54    i      oo      Ii2.52m.2537  E 


Remarks  on  Saturday,  March  14,  1778,  on  board  Ship  Boston. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  moderate 
winds  and  fair  weather.  At  2  P.  M.  tacked  ship  and  stood  to  the 
southward  and  westward.  A  4  spoke  with  a  Frenchman  from 
Bordeaux.  Saw  a  sail  just  at  this  time  to  the  eastward,  standing 
to  the  eastward  and  northward.  At  5  tacked  and  stood  to  the 
east.  At  12  hauled  the  M.  S.  up  in  the  brails,  handed  F.  and  M. 
T.  G.  sails.  Mr.  Barren,  in  discharging  the  second  gun  on  the 
starboard  bow,  the  gun  burst  in  seven  pieces,  by  which  the  worthy 
Mr.  Barron  had  his  right  leg  broke,  and  two  men  slightly  wounded. 
The  doctor  and  his  mate  consulted  and  thought  it  necessary  to 
amputate  .the  leg,  which  was  performed  in  a  masterly  manner. 
At  half  past  3  spoke  with  a  Frenchman  from  San  Domingo,  bound 
to  Nantz. 

Lat.  per  obs.  44°  47'  No. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Long. 

Depart 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long  in. 

M.D. 

N.40E. 

70  m. 

53m.  N. 

45m.  E. 

44-47  N. 

I.03E. 

ii.49W 

2582  E. 

Remarks  on  board  of  Ship  Boston,  Sunday,  March  15,  1778. 


The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours   attended  with  fresh 
breezes  and  fine  weather.     At  8  P.  M.  discovered  two  sails  to 


APPENDIX. 


277 


windward  of  us  standing  to  the  W.  S.  W.  Set  M.  and  F.  T.  G. 
sails.  Middle  'part  moderate.  At  8  A.  M.  saw  two  sail  on  our 
weather  bow  standing  to  the  northward  and  eastward,  suppose 
them  to  be  cruising  ships,  the  one  ahead  had  a  poop  lantern  out. 

Lat.  by  obs.  46°  27'  N. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat.     1    Depart. 

1 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

N.43°E 

"3 

Som.NJSom.E. 

46.27  N. 

J-55  E. 

OQ..54W 

2662  E. 

Remarks  on  Monday,  March  16,  1778,  on  board  Ship  Boston. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  fresh 
breezes  and  clear  weather.  '  At  7  P.  M.  reefed  M.  F.  and  mizzen 
T.  sails,  down  jib  and  hauled  up  M.  sail.  At  12  reef  M.  T.  sail 
and  handed  M.  S.  and  F.  T.  S.,  and  split  the  F.  S. 

The  latter  part,  onbent  the  F.  S.  and  bent  another;  onbent  the 
old  miz.  and  bent  a  new  one. 

Nothing  more  remarkable  this  day. 

Lat.  per  obs.     None  this  day. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  D. 

S.siW 

67  m. 

42m.  S. 

52  W. 

45-45  N. 

1.15  W. 

1  1.  9  W. 

2610  E. 

Remarks  on  Tuesday,  March  17,  1778,  on  board  Boston. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  fresh 
gales  and  thick  weather.  At  half  past  2  P.  M.  saw  two  ships  on 
our  larboard-quarter.  Set  the  M.  S.  and  jib.  The  people  em- 
ployed in  swaying  up  and  slinging  the  fore  yard.  The  middle 
part,  a  heavy  gale  and  large  sea;  down  miz.  sail.  At  6  A.  M.  saw 
two  ships  to  leeward  of  us,  standing  to  the  westward.  At  9 


278 


APPENDIX. 


hauled  up  the  M.  S.  and  onbent  the  mizzen  T.  S.     At  12  wore 
ship,  with  her  head  to  the  eastward. 

Lat.  per  obs.  45°  52'  N. 


Course.    |      Dist. 

1 

X.  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

X  Long.   |  Long.  in. 

I 

M.  Dis. 

N.86W 

100  in. 

;N. 

98  N.W 

45.52  W. 

2.2i  W.  I3-3OW 

2512  E. 

Remarks  on  Wednesday,  March  18,  1778,  on  board  Ship  Boston. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  fresh 
gales  and  squalls,  with  rain  and  a  heavy  sea  from  the  S.  S.  W.  At 
i  P.  M.  onbent  the  miz.  T.  S.  and  bent  a  new  one.  At  2  onbent 
the  F.  T.  S.  and  bent  another.  The  latter  part  clear  and  moderate. 

People  employed  as  usual  on  duty. 

Nothing  more  remarkable  this  day. 

Lat.  per  obs.  45°  44'  N. 


Course. 

Dist 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

S.73W 

27  m. 

8m.  S. 

26  W. 

45-44 

38m.  W 

i4.o8W 

2486 

Remarks  on  Thursday,  March  19.  1778,  on  board  Ship  Boston. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  fresh 
gales,  squally,  and  a  heavy  sea  from  S.  S.  eastward. 

The  middle  part  squally,  with  heavy  showers  of  rain;  shipping 
considerable  water  on  deck.  The  latter  part  more  moderate 
and  clear. 

People  employed  as  usual. 

Nothing  more  remarkable  this  day. 

Lat.  by  obs.  45°  34'  N. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  in. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dist. 

S.  78  Wj  48m. 

iom.  S. 

47  W. 

45-34  W. 

i.SmW 

I5.I6W 

2439  E. 

APPENDIX. 


279 


Remarks  on  Friday,  March  20,  1778,  on  board  Ship  Boston. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  a  fresh 
breeze  of  wind  and  a  large  sea.  At  8  A.  M.  saw  a  sail,  which  we 
made  sail  for,  and  came  up  with  at  n.  She  proved  to  be  a  Dutch 
snow  from  Amsterdam,  bound  to  Ise  Capes  and  Demerara. 

Lat.  per  obs.  45°  oo'. 


Course. 

Dist 

X  Lat. 

Dep. 

Lat 

XLong. 

Long  in. 

M.D. 

S.  78  E. 

170  m. 

34111.  S. 

i66m.E 

45.00  N. 

3-35  E. 

II.2IW 

2605  E. 

Remarks  on  Saturday,  March  21,  1778,  on  board  Ship  Boston. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  a  fresh 
breeze  and  hazy  weather.  The  middle  and  latter  part,  foggy 
and  rain. 

No  observation  this  day. 


Course. 

Dist 

X  Lat 

Depart 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

M.  D. 

S-76E. 

170 

40S. 

164  E. 

44-20 

3-50 

7.31  W. 

2769  E. 

Remarks  on  Sunday,  March  22,  1778,  on  board  Ship  Boston. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  a  fine 
breeze  of  wind.  Got  the  cables  up  and  bent  them.  The  middle 
and  latter  part,  fresh  gales  and  squally. 

The  people  employed  as  usual. 

Lat.  per  obs.  44°  55'  N. 


Course. 

Dist. 

Dif.  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

N.  77  E 

160 

35m.N. 

156  E. 

44-55 

3.38m. 

3-53  W. 

2925  E. 

2SO  APPENDIX. 


Remarks  on  Monday,  March  23,  1778,  on  board  Ship  Boston. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  a  very 
fresh  gale  of  wind  and  heavy  sea.  The  middle  part  the  same. 
The  F.  S.  sheet  broke,  and  split  the  sail  in  the  after  leash ;  got  it 
down.  Nothing  more  worth  remarking. 

Lat.  per  obs.  44°  32'  No. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Tuesday,  March  24,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  fresh  gales  and  fair 
weather.  At  4  P.  M.  saw  high  land  bearing  from  us  S.  W.  to  S.  E., 
distance  about  eight  leagues.  At  n  St.  Anthony's  head  bore 
S.  S.  W.,  distance  five  miles. 

Lat.  per  obs.  43°  40'  No. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,   Wednesday,  March  25,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  moderate  gales.  At  2 
P.  M.  a  pilot  came  on  board  from  St.  Anthony's ;  stood  for  the 
harbor  close  in  with  the  land ;  tacked  ship  and  stood  to  the  north- 
ward to  meet  a  brig  standing  eastward. 

Lat.  per  obs.  44°  14'  No. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Thursday,  March  26,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  fresh 
gales  and  clear  weather.  At  7  P.  M.  my  worthy  lieutenant,  Wm. 
Barren,  departed  this  life,  after  enduring  the  greatest  pain  'since 
his  having  his  leg  cut  off.  I  sincerely  regret  the  loss  of  him,  he 
being  a  worthy  and  respectful  officer.  At  10  A.  M.  the  corpse  of 
the  deceased  was  brought  on  the  quarter-deck,  and  after  prayers 
being  read,  was  committed  to  the  deep,  with  all  the  ceremony  that 
possibly  could  be ;  all  hands  being  on  the  quarter-deck,  all  seemed 
to  lament  his  death. 

Lat.  per  obs.  44°  31'. 


APPENDIX.  28l 


Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Friday,  March  27,  1778. 

This  twenty-four  hours  with  pleasant  gales  of  wind  and  a  smooth 
sea. 

The  people  employed  about  necessary  duty. 

Lat.  obs.  45°  26'  No. 

Remarks  on  'board  the  Boston,  Saturday,  March  28,  1778. 

Light  gales  and  fair  weather.  Saw  a  sail  to  the  leeward.  Sounded, 
and  found  we  were  in  fifty  fathom  of  water,  red  sand  and  shells. 
After  running  ten  leagues  had  thirty  fathoms  of  water,  coarse 
black  and  red  sand. 

Nothing  more  remarkable. 

Lat.  per  obs.  43°  03'  No. 

Remarks  on  Sunday,  March  29,  1778. 

Light  winds  and  fair  weather;  spoke  with  several  Dutchmen 
from  Bordeaux,  bound  to  Amsterdam.  At  6  A.  M.  saw  the  land 
bearing  N.  N.  W.,  distance  about  four  leagues,  which  we  found 
to  be  fifteen  leagues  to  the  westward  of  Bordeaux. 

Lat.  by  obs.  45°  52'. 

Monday,  March  30,  1778. 

Light  gales  and  fair  weather ;  a  pilot  came  on  board.  At  8 
A.  M.  saw  the  light-house  of  Cordouan,  bearing  E.  by  N.,  distance 
three  leagues. 

No  obs.  this  day. 

Remarks  Tuesday,  March,  31,  1778. 
Fine  pleasant  weather;  came  into  the  river  of  Bordeaux  at  6 


282  APPENDIX. 

P.  M.     Came  to  anchor  at  Poliask.     Another  pilot  came  on  board. 
The  latter  part  dark  and  rainy. 

Wednesday.  April  i,  1778. 

At  2  P.  M.  weighed  anchor  at  Poliask,  to  go  to  town.  At  6 
saluted  a  small  town  called  Lavmon  with  13  guns,  and  came  to 
anchor.  At  5  A.  M.  weighed  anchor,  and  went  up  within  three 
miles  of  the  town  and  landed  the  passengers. 

Thursday,  April  2,  1778. 

This  day  squally  without  rain,  wind  S.  W.  Plenty  of  company 
coming  on  board  to  see  the  frigate,  who  in  general  seem  to  be 
much  pleased  with  her,  particularly  the  ladies. 

Friday,  April  3,  1778. 

Pleasant  and  moderate  weather.  Employed  the  people  in  un- 
bending the  small  sails,  &c.  Plenty  of  company  coming  on  board. 

Saturday,  April  4. 

Mr.  Adams  went  to  Paris.  This  day  people  employed  as  usual. 
Great  numbers  of  gentlemen  and  ladies  came  on  board  to  see 
the  ship. 

Sunday,  April  5. 

All  this  day  the  ship  has  been  crowded  with  company  from 
morning  to  night ;  boats  alongside.  One  would  think  they  never 
saw  a  ship  before,  but  it  is  all  on  account  of  its  being  a  Boston 
frigate.  Pleasant  weather  this  day.  The  wind  to  the  northward. 

Monday,  April  6. 

This  day  comes  in  and  ends  with  pleasant  weather.  The  people 
employed  as  usual  about  their  necessary  duty.  Landed  our  sails. 


APPENDIX.  283 

Tuesday,  April  7. 

This  day  comes  in  with  pleasant  weather.  A  pilot  came  on 
board,  and  we  dropped  the  ship  down  with  the  tide  to  Lavmoon. 
in  order  to  clean  her;  but  found  the  place  was  not  fit  to  lay  her  on 
shore.  The  latter  part  of  this  day  pleasant. 

Wednesday,  April  8. 

This  day  fine  pleasant  weather  dropped  the  ship  with  the  tide 
up  to  Bordeaux,  alongside  of  an  old  hulk,  in  order  to  heave  her 
down,  and  clean  her  bottom. 

Thursday,  April  9. 

This  day  drizzly  and  dirty  weather.  The  people  employed  in 
getting  the  guns  and  other  articles  on  board  the  hulk. 

Friday,  April  10. 

This  day  the  people  employed  in  getting  the  ship  clear.  Very 
pleasant  weather. 

Saturday,  April  1 1 . 

This  day  pleasant.  People  employed  in  clearing  the  hold,  and 
casks,  and  wood  ;  got  down  the  topmasts. 

Sunday,  April  12. 

This  day  pleasant  weather;  let  a  number  of  the  men  go  on 
shore  on  liberty. 

Monday,  April  13, 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  The  carpenters  from  Lavmoon  to 
work  on  board.  The  people  employed  in  clearing  the  ship. 

Tuesday,  April  14. 

This  day  very  pleasant  weather.  The  people  employed  in 
clearing  out  the  ship. 


284  APPENDIX. 

Wednesday,  April  15. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  At  10  in  the  morning  began  to 
careen  the  ship.  At  12  she  was  hove  down;  the  carpenters  at 
work  on  her  bottom.  At  8  P.  M.  righted  ship. 

Thursday,  April  16. 

This  begins  with  pleasant  weather.  The  day  being  a  holiday, 
the  carpenters  finished  our  starboard  side,  and  at  12  o'clock  went 
on  shore. 

Friday,  April  17. 

This  day  being  a  holiday,  no  work  was  done  on  board  until 
12  o'clock. 

Saturday,  April  18. 

Fine  pleasant  weather.  Careened  the  ship  and  finished  her 
bottom,  and  got  the  shears  down. 

Sunday,  April  19. 

This  day  fine  pleasant  weather.  Confined  some  of  the  people 
in  irons  for  making  disturbances. 

Monday,  April  20. 

It  being  a  holiday  on  shore,  we  had  very  little  work  done  on 
board.  Let  some  of  the  people  go  ashore. 

Tuesday,  April  21. 

This  day  rainy  weather.  The  people  employed  in  necessary 
duty.  Found  the  mainmast  sprung  so  badly  that  I  shall  be 
obliged  to  get  a  new  one.  Began  to  clear  the  rigging. 

Wednesday,  April  22. 

This  day  rainy  weather.  Get  two  long  spars  for  shears  to  hoist 
out  the  mainmast. 


APPENDIX.  285 

Thursday,  April  23. 

The  fore  part  of  the  day  cold,  clear  weather.  The  people  getting 
ready  to  hoist  the  mast  out.  In  the  afternoon  got  it  out,  and  found 
it  to  be  gone  in  three  different  places. 

Friday,  April  24. 

This  day  cold  and  cloudy  weather.  The  people  employed  in 
getting  the  iron  ballast  out  of  the  hulk  on  board.  The  carpenters 
on  shore  to  work  on  the  mast. 

Saturday,  April  25. 

Received  second  lieutenant  from  Paris.  Captain  Palmer  re- 
turned. This  day  pleasant  weather.  The  people  employed  in 
getting  the  ballast  on  board,  [(erased,  but  which  reads)  John 
Hileger  received  twelve  lashes  on  his  back  with  a  cat  for  cutting 
a  Frenchman  with  a  scraper.] 

Sunday.  April  26. 

This  day  very  pleasant  weather.  The  people  employed  on 
necessary  duty. 

Monday,  April  27. 

This  day  pleasant.  People  employed  on  necessary  duty,  and 
getting  the  guns  on  board. 

Tuesday,  April  28. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  People  employed  as  usual.  Some 
of  the  hands  deserted. 

Wednesday,  April  29. 
A  very  pleasant  day.     The  people  employed  at  necessary  duty. 

Thursday,  April  30. 
A  pleasant  day.     The  people  employed  as  usual. 


286  APPENDIX. 

Friday,  May  i,  1778. 

A  dark,  cloudy  day,  attended  with  rain.  Received  some  water 
on  board.  The  people  employed  as  usual. 

Saturday,  May  2. 

This  day  cloudy.  The  people  employed  in  getting  the  stores  on 
board  in  order  to  drop  down.  The  pilot  came  on  board,  and  we 
dropped  down  opposite  the  Exchange. 

Sunday,  May  3,  1778. 
A  very  pleasant  day.     Let  some  of  the  people  go  on  shore. 

Monday,  May  4. 

A  pleasant  day.  The  people  employed  in  stowing  the  hold  and 
overhauling  the  provisions. 

Tuesday,  May  5. 

This  morning  Peter  Cavey,  a  midshipman,  got  over  the  side  to 
wear  the  boat  astern,  taking  hold  of  a  rope,  which  he  thought 
was  made  fast  but  was  not,  fell  overboard,  and  though  all  means 
were  used  to  save  him,  was  drowned.  The  people  employed  in 
necessary  duty  as  usual. 

Wednesday,  May  6. 

This  day  pleasant.  Henry  Payton  deserted  from  the  ship.  At 
3  in  the  afternoon  got  the  mainmast  in. 

Thursday  May  7. 
This  day  pleasant  weather.     The  people  employed  as  usual. 

Friday,  May  8. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  Got  the  main  top  and  main  yard 
up  in  their  places. 


APPENDIX.  287 

Saturday,  May  9. 
Pleasant  weather.     People  employed  on  necessary  duty. 

Sunday,  May  10. 
A  pleasant  day.     Let  some  of  the  people  go  on  shore. 

Monday,  May  n. 

A  pleasant  day.  The  people  employed  on  necessary  duty.  The 
body  of  Mr.  Cavey  was  found  by  the  people  on  shore,  and 
decently  buried. 

Tuesday,  May  12. 
Pleasant  weather.     The  people  employed  as  usual. 

Wednesday,  May  13. 
Rainy  weather.    The  people  employed  as  usual. 

Thursday,  May  14. 
Pleasant  weather.     The  people  employed  as  usual. 

Friday,  May  15. 

Dirty  weather.  The  people  employed  in  clearing  the  ship 
for  sea. 

May  16,  Saturday. 
Pleasant  weather.    The  people  employed  in  bending  the  sails. 

Sunday,  May  17. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  The  pilot  came  on  board.  Un- 
moored ship,  and  cleared  the  decks  to  go  down  the  river.  At  n 
o'clock  weighed  anchor,  and  saluted  the  Castle  of  Bordeaux  with 
twenty-one  guns.  They  returned  the  salute.  Fell  down  the  river 
as  far  as  Boekelyan,  and  moored  ship. 


288  APPENDIX. 

Monday,  -May  18,  1778. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  Sunday  stores  came  on  board  from 
Bordeaux.  In  the  night  two  sailors  left  the  ship. 

Tuesday,  May  19,  1778. 

Dark,  cloudy  weather.  The  people  employed  in  getting  the 
ship  ready  for  the  sea. 

Wednesday,  May  20. 

Dark,  cloudy  weather.  The  people  employed  about  necessary 
duty. 

Thursday,  May  21. 

This  day  fine  pleasant  weather.  Unmoored  ship  and  fell  down 
two  miles  below  Lavmoon,  and  there  anchored.  And  7  in  the. 
morning  weighed  anchor,  and  fell  down  twelve  miles  farther  and 
anchored. 

Friday,  May  22,  1778. 

This  day  comes  in  with  rain.  Weighed  anchor  in  the  morning, 
and  fell  down  within  three  miles  of  Blay.  The  pilot  went  on 
shore,  and  another  came  on  board.  At  3  P.  M.  weighed  anchor, 
and  fell  down  as  far  as  the  castle,  and  anchored;  saluted  the 
castle  with  seven  cannon,  which  returned  the  compliment.  A 
number  of  gentlemen  and  ladies  came  on  board. 

Saturday,  May  23. 
A  rainy  day.     The  people  employed  about  necessary  duty. 

Sunday,  May  24. 

This  day  it  blows  very  fresh,  attended  with  rain.  The  people 
employed  as  usual. 

Monday,  May  25. 
Fresh  gales  and  rain.     The  people  employed  ns  usual. 


APPENDIX.  289 

Tuesday,  Mqy  26. 
*      This  day  fresh  gales  and  dirty  weather. 

Wednesday,  May  27. 

This  day  cloudy  weather.  In  the  afternoon  weighed  afichor, 
and  came  out  in  the  channel,  in  order  to  go  to  Poliask  in  the 
morning. 

Thursday,  May  28. 

This  day  fresh  gales.  Weighed  anchor  in  the  morning,  and 
came  down  to  Poliask;  anchored  there  to  fill  the  empty  casks  with 
water.  The  people  employed  this  day  in  filling  water. 

Friday,  May  29. 

This  day  fresh  gales  of  wind.  The  ship  is  now  ready  for  sea, 
and  I  wait  for  nothing  but  Mr.  Livingston,  my  second  lieutenant, 
to  come  from  Bordeaux. 

Saturday,  May  30. 
This  day  flattering  weather  and  winds. 

Sunday,  May  31. 

This  day  dark  and  disagreeable  weather.  I  should  be  glad  to 
find  Mr.  Livingston  come  down  this  tide. 

Monday,  June  I,  1778- 

This  day  cloudy  and  dark  weather.  No  news  from  Mr. 
Livingston. 

Tuesday,  jfnne  2. 

This  day  cloudy  and  disagreeable  weather.  The  people  em- 
ployed about  necessary  duty. 

Wednesday,  June  3. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.     The  people  employed   as   usual. 
'9 


290  APPENDIX. 

At  12  o'clock  Mr.  Livingston  returned  from  Bordeaux.     Weighed 
anchor,  and  came  down  the  river  three  leagues  below  Poliask. 

Thursday,  June  4. 

This.day  begins  with  cloudy  weather  and  rain ;  weighed  anchor 
in  the  morning.  At  7  P.  M.  came  by  a  French  frigate  that  was 
under  sail,  turning  down  the  river.  At  4  P.  M.  came  to  anchor 
below  the  commodore,  and  saluted  with  thirteen  cannon ;  he 
returned  the  salute  with  seven,  and  I  returned  one. 

Friday,  June  5,  1778. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  The  people  employed  as  usual. 
Captain  Jones,  in  a  brig  often  guns,  belonging  to  Maryland,  came 
down  from  Bordeaux,  and  joined  the  fleet  that  lay  here. 

Saturday,  June  6,  1778. 

This  twenty-four  hours  begins  with  pleasant  weather.  The 
people  employed  in  clearing  ship  ready  for  sea.  The  middle  part, 
moderate  gales  from  the  E.  N.  E.  At  4  A.  M.  weighed  anchor, 
and  came  to  sail  in  company  with  twenty  sail  of  ships,  brigs,  &c., 
a  French  frigate,  and  sloop  of  war.  At  6  A.  M.,  Cordean  light- 
house bearing  E.  N.  E.,  distance  two  leagues.  All  sails  set  at 
noon.  I  reckon  the  ship  to  be  twelve  leagues  to  the  westward  of 
the  lighthouse.  Variable  winds  and  foggy  weather. 

Remarks:  on  board  the  Boston,  Sunday,  June  7,  1778. 

This  day  fresh  breezes  of  wind  from  the  westward.  Captain 
Jones,  in  a  brig  from  Virginia,  and  the  French  frigate,  still  in 
company.  This  twenty-four  hours  begin  with  fresh  breezes. 

Lat.  by  obs.  46°  08'  No. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Monday,  June  8,  1778. 

Steady  gales  of  fair  weather.  At  4  P.  M.  the  Island  of  Dieu 
bore  N.  E.  At  6  do.  the  middle  of  the  island  E.  by  N.,  distance 


APPENDIX.  291 

four  leagues.  Hoisted  the  pinnace  out  and  sent  her  on  board 
Captain  Jones,  desiring  himself,  Captain  Ward,  and  the  doctor, 
to  come  on  board  the  ship,  who  spent  most  of  the  day  with  me. 

Lat.  by  obs.  46°  44'. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Tuesday,  June  9,  1778. 

Light  breezes  and  clear  weather.  At  4  P.  M.  Captain  Jones,  in 
the  Virginia  brig,  parted,  and  steered  his  course  for  Bordeaux. 
The  Island  Dieu  bears  S.  E.  by  E.,  distance  two  and  a  half  leagues. 
At  7  P.  M.  the  island  out  of  sight.  At  10  tacked  ship  to  the  south- 
ward, and  half  past  one  tacked  ship  and  stood  to  the  northward. 
At  4  A.  M.  calm,  with  rain.  At  5  A.  M.  saw  the  island  of  Bellisle, 
bearing  N.  N.  E.,  distance  5  leAgues. 

Lat.  per  obs.  47°  n'. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,   Wednesday,  June  IO,  1778. 

This  twenty-four  hours  moderate  gales  and  pleasant  weather. 
In  company  with  the  French  frigate.     Several  vessels  in  sight. 
The  people  employed  as  usual  on  necessary  duty. 

Lat.  per  obs.  47°  07'. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Thursday,  June  n,  1778. 

Light  gales  and  pleasant  weather;  several  vessels  in  sight.  At 
7  P.  M.  Bellisle,  distance  4  leagues.  At  6  A.  M.  saw  the  Island 
of  Groa.  bearing  N.  E.  by  E.,  distance  five  leagues.  At  noon 
anchored  between  Groa  and  Loriant. 

(I  find  no  observation.) 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Friday,  June  12,  1778- 

Steady  gales  and  pleasant  weather.  A  French  snow  and  ship 
at  anchor  in  company  with  us.  Lieutenant  Reed  went  on  shore 
in  the  cutter  to  Loriant  after  water.  * 

The  people  employed  as  usual. 


292 


APPENDIX. 


Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Saturday,  June  13,  1778. 
Pleasant  weather.     At  6  P.  M.  Mr.  Reed  returned  in  the  cutter 
with  eight  casks  of  water.     At  to  A.  M.  weighed  anchor  and  came 
to  sail.     At  noon  the  Island  of  Groa,  bearing  E.  by  S.,  distance  5 
miles;  from  thence  I  take  my  departure. 

The  Isle  Du  Groa,  Lat.  47°  40'.     Long.  3°  30'  West. 
Lat.  per  obs.  47°  39'  No. 

Remarks,  on  board  the  Boston,  Sunday,  June  14,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  these  twenty -'four  hours  attended  with  fresh  gales. 
At  5  P.  M.  spoke  with  a  Frenchman  from  Marseilles.  At  4  A.  M. 
spoke  with  another  from  Nantz.  At  5  A.  M.  saw  two  vessels  to 
the  westward,  standing  to  the  northward.  At  9  A.  M.  saw  a  large 
ship  and  a  brig  to  the  northward,  standing  towards  the  S.  W. ;  about 
1 1  o'clock,  they  stood  for  us.  Supposing  the  ship  to  be  a  forty  gun 
ship,  wore  and  stood  to  the  east;  after  that  they  tacked  and  stood 
to  S.  W.  We  stood  after  them  again ;  they  set  their  small  sails, 
and  we  set  steering  sails,  and  gave  chase  after  them. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X.  Lnt. 

Depart. 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

S.  W. 

*3i 

92  S. 

92  W. 

46.08 

2.14 

5-  44 

92  W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Monday,  June  15,  1778, 

The  first  of  this  twenty-four  hours  pleasant  weather;  still  in 
chase  of  the  ship  and  brig;  saw  several  sails  in  sight.  At  S  A.  M. 
the  chase  hauled  up  her  courses.  I  stood  towards  her,  came  up 
with,  and  found  her  to  be  a  French  frigate.  Wore  ship  and  stood 
to  the  westward. 

The  latter  part  pleasant  weather. 

Lat.  per  obs.  45°  20'. 


Course. 

* 

Dist.       1    X.  Lat. 

i 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  D. 

S.72W 

I 

160       48  S. 

152  W. 

45.20 

3-30 

9-2O 

244  W. 

APPENDIX. 


293 


Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Tuesday,  June  16,  1778. 

This  twenty-four  hours  attended  with  pleasant  weather  and 
steady  winds.  Saw  seven  large  ships  to  leeward,  gave  chase  to 
them  ;  got  the  ship  in  readiness  for  engaging,  but  found  them  to  be 
vessels  of  superior  force ;  judged  them  to  be  an  English  fleet  of 
men  of  war.  At  7  P.  M.  saw  another  sail ;  gave  chase  and  spoke 
with  her;  she  proved  to  be  a  French  brig  from  Bordeaux,  bound 
to  St.  Domingo. 

Lat.  per  obs.  43°  23'. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long.   '  Long.  in. 
1 

M.  B. 

S.54W 

2O2 

"5 

I65 

43-25 

3-51      |     13'" 

109  W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,   Wednesday,  June  17,  1778. 

Fresh  gales  and  pleasant  weather.  Spoke  with  a  Portuguese 
snow  from  Oporto,  bound  to  Cork.  Consulted  this  day  with  my 
officers  about  our  cruising.  They  all  seemed  to  be  for  cruising  on 
the  banks  of  Newfoundland,  to  which  I  agreed. 

Lat.  per  obs.  43°  49'  N. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lot.  by  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dif. 

N.8oW 

138  m. 

24111.  N. 

I36W. 

43-49 

3-10 

16.21 

545  W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Thursday,  June  18,  1778. 

This  day  attended  with  pleasant  weather,  and  steady  breezes. 
Spoke  with  a  brig  from  .Marseilles,  bound  to  Middleburgh. 

Lat.  per  obs.  43°  36'. 


Course. 

Dist. 

XLat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dif. 

W.  4N. 

i.77 

13  S. 

I77\V. 

43-30 

4-05 

20.26 

722  W. 

APPENDIX. 


Remarks  on  board  t 'he  Boston.  Friday,  Jnnc  19,  1778. 

Saw  two  sail  to  the  northward,  standing  to  the  eastward.  At 
9  A.  M.  brought  to  a  brig,  George  Fenly,  commander,  belonging  to 
Scotland,  bound  from  Venice  to  London,  loaded  with  cream  tartar 
and  raisins;  made  a  prize  of  her,  and  sent  her  for  Boston,  with 
Joshua'Goss  as  prize-master,  Jacob  Tucker  mate.  Thomas  Stevens, 
Thomas  Brinnblecome,  James  Harris  (Tannique  and  Rousill •-. 
Frenchmen),  as  privates,  and  William  Young  as  prisoner. 

N.  B.     The  brig  is  called  the  John  and  Rebecca. 

Lat.  by  obs.  43°  47'. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Ixnig.  i:i. 

M.  Dif. 

N.S3  W 

88m. 

II    N. 

87  W. 

43-47 

2.OO 

22.26 

809  W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  June  20,  1778,  Saturday. 

This  day  moderate  gales  and  pleasant  weather.     All  the  people 
on  board  well  and  in  good  spirits. 

Saw  a  vessel  to  the  northward  and  gave  chase. 

Lat.  by  obs.  44°  04'. 


Course. 

l.Ut. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  iu. 

M.  Dist. 

W.NW 

45  m. 

17  N. 

41  W. 

44.04 

56111. 

23.22 

850  W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Sunday,  June  21,  1778. 

Moderate  gales  and  pleasant  weather.  The  sail  in  chase 
proved  to  be  Captain  Jones,  that  sailed  in  company  with  us  from 
Bordeaux.  He  and  his  people  are  all  well.  Captain  Jones  came 
on  board,  and  tarried  a  considerable  time. 

Lat.  per  obs.  44°  oo'. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Dep. 

Lat.  ty  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long  in. 

.M.  Dif. 

West. 

107  m. 

4S. 

ID? 

44-00 

2.29 

25-5I 

937  W. 

APPENDIX. 


295 


Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Monday,  June  22,  1778. 

Steady  gales  and  pleasant  weather.     At  4  P.  M.  Captain  Jones 
parted  with  us,  and  saluted  with  nine  guns.     I  returned  four. 
Nothing  remarkable. 

Lat.  per  obs.  44°  40', 


Conne. 

Dist.       '    X.  Lat. 
1 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

N.  6.s\V 

! 

95m.   i4om.N.i  86  W. 

44-40 

i.59W. 

27.50 

1043  W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Tuesday,  June  23,  1778. 

The  fii>t  part  of  this  twenty -four  hours  light  breezes  and 
cloudy  weather.  Saw  a  sail  to  the  northward,  gave  chase,  and  at 
noon  came  up  with  her.  She  proved  to  be  the  brig  Britannia, 
William  Baker,  commander,  from  Newfoundland,  bound  to  Oporto  : 
took  the  master  and  crew  out,  and  sent  her  for  Loriant,  with  Gis- 
card,  prize-master,  Wm.  Alkins,  mate  (Alary,  Arnaud,  Battiste, 
Leger,  Grassia,  and  Goodwin,  all  Frenchmen,  as  hands).  She 
was  loaded  with  about  seventeen  hundred  quintals  fish. 

Lat.  per  obs.  44°  56'. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat 

Depart. 

il 
Lat.  per  Obs.  1   X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

NE  byN 

18 

I6N. 

8  in.  E. 

44-56 

12  E. 

27.38WJI035W. 
i 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,   Wednesday,  June  24. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  steady  gales  and  pleasant. 
The  boats  employed  in  bringing  the  prisoners,  chests,  &c.,  from 
the  Britannia.  Despatched  her,  and  she  proceeded  for  Loriant. 
John  Carter,  one  of  the  carpenters  on  board  us,  by  accident  fell 


APPENDIX. 


overboard.    Had  the  pinnace  hoisted  out,  and  was  just  time  enough 
to  save  him  from  drowning. 

Lat.  per  obs.  45°  01'. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X.  Lat. 

Depart.     |  Lat.  by  Obs. 

1 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

E.8°N. 

37m. 

5  m.  N. 

36m.  E.j    45.01 

5.1  E. 

26.47 

999  E- 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston.  Thursday,  June  25. 

Steady  gales  and  pleasant.  The  sun  this  afternoon  in  the 
eclipse.  At  7  P.  M.  came  up  with  the  chase.  The  captain  pretended 
to  be  a  Frenchman,  from  Newfoundland,  bound  to  Oporto :  he 
afterwards  proved  a  Jerseyman.  Manned  her,  and  sent  her  for 
Loriant,  with  John  Pickery,  one  of  my  mates,  as  prize-master, 
John  Elliot,  Laour,  Rotissuelt,  Donassusign,  Daniville,  and  Bour- 
gerinon,  with  him.  The  prize  was  a  brig,  commanded  by  Thomas 
Anquetil,  called  the  Elizabeth,  and  loaded  with  fish.  In  chase  after 
another  brig,  —  gave  her  several  shot. 

Lat.  per  obs.  45°  35'. 


Course. 

Dist. 

XLat 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long.   1  Long.  in. 

j 

M.  Dis. 

N.8o°E 

158 

34m.  N. 

155 

45-35 

3-39w-|  23-o8 

844  W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  June  26,  1778,  Friday. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  pleasant.  Came  up 
with  our  chase,  and  spoke  with  the  captain.  She  was  a  brig  from 
Baltimore,  bound  to  Nantz,  commanded  by  Alexander  Murray. 
out  seventeen  days — a  fine  sailing  brig,  pierced  for  sixteen  car- 
riage guns.  At  10  A.  M.  saw  a  sail,  and  gave  chase. 


APPENDIX. 

Lat.  observed  in  46°  14'  North. 


297 


Course. 

Dist.           X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obi. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

Mer.  Dif. 

N-76E. 

126 

30  N. 

122  E. 

46.05 

2.56 

20.12 

722  W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Saturday,  June  27,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  light  winds  and  clear 
weather.  .Saw  a  ship  and  gave  chase.  At  3  P.  M.  the  wind  took 
our  ship  aback:  got  our  starboard  tacks  on  board,  and  set  all  sail 
by  the  wind.  At  4  P.  M.  very  moderate  :  the  ship  gained  from  us. 
Bore  away,  and  gave  over  chase.  At  6  hove  out  the  pinnace,  and 
I  went  on  board  Captain  Murray,  with  Mr.  Reed,  my  first  lieuten- 
ant. Captain  Murray  sent  me  some  American  papers  to  peruse, 
which  I  am  obliged  to  him  for. 

Lat.  observed  in  46°  14'  North. 


Course. 

J)ist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  perObs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

Mer.  Dif. 

E.  iN. 

118 

9N. 

n6E. 

46.14 

2.47 

i1?  -2  5 

606  W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Sunday,  June  28,  1778. 

Tliis  twenty-four  hours  pleasant  weather.  Spoke  with  Captain 
Murray,  who  told  me  that  one  of  his  men  fell  from  the  yard  and 
hurt  himself.  Hoisted  out  the  pinnace  and  sent  the  doctor  on 
board  him.  The  man  had  put  his  shoulder  out.  At  10  A.  M.  saw 
a  sail  and  gave  chase.  Nothing  more  remarkable. 

Lat.  observed  in  46°  14'  North. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Di.--t. 

East. 

iSom. 

00 

180  in. 

46.14 

I3-04 

4-25 

426  W. 

298 


APPENDIX. 


Remarks  on  board  the  Boston-,  Monday,  June  29. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  fresh  gales  and  heavy 
weather.  In  chase  of  a  schooner.  At  5  P.  M.  gave  over  chase. 
At  7  P.  M.  saw  two  sail ;  gave  chase,  and  came  up  with  them ;  the 
one  was  a  Scotch  brig  from  Glasgow,  bound  for  St.  Ubes,  the 
other  a  Swede.  I  took  the  Scotch  brig,  and  sent  her  for  Loriant. 
At  6  A.  M.  saw  another  sail ;  gave  chase  and  came  up  to  her.  She 
proved  to  be  a  Frenchman. 

Lat.  obs.  46°  04'. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lnt. 

Dep. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long  in. 

M.  Dis. 

Ei  S. 

Ill 

iom.  S. 

no  E. 

46.04 

2.38 

10.26  W 

3i6W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Tuesday,  June  30. 

This    twenty-four   hours    attended   with    moderate    gales    and 
pleasant  weather  for  the  most  part. 

Lat.  per  obs.  46D  n'. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dif. 

N.86E. 

1O4 

7  m.  N. 

IO4 

46.11 

2.30 

7-56 

212  W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  July  i.  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  steady  gales  and  hazy 
weather.  Saw  a  sloop  and  gave  chase,  but  could  not  come  near 
her.  The  middle  part  pleasant.  Saw  several  Dutch  vessels. 

Lat.  per  obs.  47°  16'. 


Course. 

Dirt. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  [icr  Obs.    X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dist. 

E.N.E. 

174 

65m.  N. 

161  E. 

47-i6    j    3-54 

4.O2 

51  W. 

APPENDIX.  299 

After  working  this  day's  work,  run  upon  E.  N.  E.  course  about 
fifty  miles  distance,  and  anchored  under  the  Isle  du  Groax. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Thursday,  July  2,  1778. 

Steady  gales  and  fair  weather.  We  saw  the  land,  bearing  from 
N.  N.  W.  to  E.  N.  E.,  about  three  leagues  distant.  At  8  in  the 
evening  anchored  between  the  Island  du  Groax  and  Port  Lewis. 
Wind  west. 

7«(X3i77S. 

This  day  foggy  weather.  A  pilot  came  on  board  from  Port 
Lewis.  At  4  in  the  evening  weighed  anchor,  and  went  into  the 
Harbor  of  Port  Lewis,  and  came  to  the  inner  moorings.  The 
wind  S.  W. 

Saturday,  July  4,  1778. 

This  day  fair  and  pleasant  weather.  The  people  employed  about 
necessary  duty.  My  second  lieutenant.  Man.  Lingstom,  went  off 
for  Paris  to  the  commissioners. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Sunday,  July  5,  1778. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  At  6  in  the  evening  two  of  my 
prizes  arrived  here,  one  of  them,  Mr.  Vickery,  prize-master,  the 
other,  Mr.  Snowdon.  Nothing  very  particular  to  remark  to-day. 

Monday,  July  6,  1778. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  Got  the  main-topmast  down  to 
get  up  new  cross-trees. 

Tuesday,  July  7,  1778. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  The  people  throughout  the  ship 
employed  on  necessary  duty.  Nothing  more  worth  remarking. 
William  Roberts  and  Richard  Smith  received,  each  of  them, 
twelve  lashes  on  their  naked  back  for  trying  to  desert  the  third 
time,  but  were  caught. 


3OO  APPENDIX. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,   Wednesday,  July  8,  1778- 

This  day  comes  in  with  pleasant  weather.  The  steward  deliver- 
ing fresh  beef  to  the  people,  two  of  the  French  marines,  La 
Combe  and  Degout,  denied  to  take  their  allowance,  or  to  do  any 
more  duty  on  board:  but  their  stomachs,  and  the  others  of  the 
same  sort,  came  to  the  next  day. 

Thursday,  July  9,  1778. 

This  day  pleasant  and  agreeable  weather.  Careened  the  ship 
and  cleaned  her  bottom,  then  righted  her  again. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Friday,  July  10,  1778.  . 

This  day  very  pleasant  weather.  Finished  cleaning  the  ship's 
bottom.  Mr.  Latuche,  one  of  his  Christian  Majesty's  generals  at 
Loriant,  with  a  number  of  officers,  came  on  board  the  ship,  and 
asked  the  French  sailors  and  marines,  in  my  presence,  whether 
they  had  rather  tarry  on  board  or  go  on  shore.  Thev  answered, 
Go  on  shore.  As  they  entered  as  volunteers,  thev  signed  the  ship's 
book  as  seamen  and  marines;  notwithstanding  which,  though  I 
showed  him  the  book,  he  took  forty-seven  out  of  the  ship,  and 
threatened  to  write  to  the  commissioners  at  Paris  about  Lieutenants 
Reed  and  Bates  treating  the  Frenchmen  ill ;  —  which  was  false,  for 
they  have  been  treated  on  board  the  ship  better,  if  possible,  than 
the  Americans.  The  general  did  not  behave  to  me  on  board  my 
ship  with  all  the  politeness  that  could  be  expected  from  one  of  his 
rank.  However,  I  shall  write  the  commissioners  the  whole  of  the 
proceeding. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Saturday,  July  n,  1778. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  All  hands  employed  as  usual  about 
necessary  duty.  Had  the  ship's  crew  mustered,  and  found  that  I 
have  one  hundred  and  forty-six  men  and  boys  on  board. 


APPENDIX.  301 

Sunday,  July  12,  1778. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  Let  fifty  of  the  men  go  on  shore  on 
liberty,  they  to  return  at  night.  Cuff  Jennings  received  twelve 
lashes  on  his  naked  back  with  a  cat,  for  being  mutinous  and 
making  a  noise  on  board  the  ship. 

Monday,  July  13,  1778. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  The  people  employed  as  usual  on 
the  ship's  duty.  Wrote  to  the  agent  at  Nantz,  and  to  Captain 
Whipple  of  the  Providence  frigate. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Tuesday,  July  14,  1778. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  The  people  employed  as  usual. 
Bent  our  mizzen-topsail  and  top-gallant  sail. 

Wednesday,  July  15. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  The  brig  Britannia,  a  prize  I  took 
thp  ->-»H  TMT?C,  arrived  here  this  evening;  all  well  on  board.  I 
thougnt  it  was  .impossible  but  that  she  should  have  been  re- 
captured, being  out  so  long  a  time. 

Thursday,  July  16,  1778. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  At  10  A.  M.  I  ordered  Win.  Atkins 
on  shore  to  the  broker,  to  enter  the  prize  brig  Britannia,  he  being 
put  on  board  of  second  prize  on  June  23,  1778,  as  mate  under  a 
French  prize-master.  After  doing  his  business  on  shore,  he 
coming  on  board  the  ship,  was  ordered  by  the  first  lieutenant,  Mr. 
Reed,  to  go  on  board  the  prize,  and  behave  himself  in  his  former 
station.  He  went  immediately  on  board,  and  demanded  the 
charge  of  the  prize,  telling  the  prize-master  he  had  orders  from 
the  lieutenant  to  take  command  of  the  second  prize.  The  prize- 
master  would  not  give  up  his  charge  until  he  had  orders  from  one 
who  gave  it  to  him.  They  fell  into  a  dispute,  whereby  the  honest 


3O3  APPENDIX. 

prize-master  received  a  wound  by  a  knife,  who  complained  to  me 
immediately.  After  hearing  the  complaint,  I  sent  Mr.  Reed  on 
board  the  prize  to  send  all  hands  on  board  the  frigate.  I  ex- 
amined them  to  our  satisfaction.  I  then  inflicted  twelve  lashes  on 
the  bare  back  of  Atkins,  for  assuming  a  false  charge  and  suffering 
the  prize-master  to  be  wounded. 

Friday,  July  17,  1778. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  Sold  all  three  of  the  prizes  to  Mr. 
Puchebergh,  of  Lorient,  the  half  that  belonged  to  the  crew  to 
receive  and  divide  among  them,  the  other  to  be  paid  to  Mr. 
Schweighawser,  corn,  agent  at  Nantz. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Saturday,  July  18,  1778. 
This  day  pleasant  weather.     The  people  employed  as  usual. 

• 
Sunday,  July  19. 

A  very  pleasant  day.  Let  the  people  have  part  of  their  prize- 
money.  Nothing  very  remarkable. 

Monday,  July  20. 

This  day  fresh  gales,  attended  with  heavy  rains.  Had  the  three 
prizes  secured  from  the  weather  as  far  as  possible. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Tuesday,  July  21,  1778. 

This  day  fresh  gales  and  pleasant  weather.  The  people  em- 
ployed as  usual.  Paid  the  officers  their  shares  of  prize-money  for 
the  three  prizes  sold  at  L'Orient. 

Wednesday,  July  22,  1778. 

This  day  close  weather.  The  people  employed  as  usual.  My- 
self and  Mr.  Reed  went  to  Loriant. 


APPENDIX.  303 

Thursday,  July  23,  1778. 
This  day  rainy  weather,  and  fresh  gales  of  wind. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Friday,  July  24. 
This  day  rainy  weather  and  fresh  gales. 

Saturday,  July  25,  1778. 
This  day  cloudy  weather  and  fresh  gales. 

Sunday.  July  26,  1778. 

This  day  pleasant  and  moderate  weather.  At  4  P.  M.  Hans 
Persons,  a  seaman  on  board,  departed  this  life  after  being  four  or 
five  days  sick,  all  which  time  he  was  distracted. 

Remarks,  on  board  the  Boston,  Monday,  July  27. 

This  day  fair  and  moderate  weather.  I  am  now  waiting  for  a  fair 
wind  only  to  go  to  sea.  In  the  afternoon,  the  body  of  Hans  was 
sent  on  shore  at  Port  Lewis,  and  decently  buried,  —  Mr.  Reed,  first 
lieutenant,  went  on  shore,  and  Mr.  Cooper  read  prayers  over  his 
corpse. 

Tuesday,  July  28,  1778. 

This  dav  pleasant  weather.  In  the  morning  ordered  Wm. 
Granger  to  be  brought  to  the  gangway,  and  receive  twelve  stripes 
on  his  naked  back.  His  crime  was  talking  among  the  people,  and 
making  them  believe  that  the  officers  on  board  had  embezzled 
some  part  of  the  prizes,  cargo,  and  other  abuse. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,   Wednesday,  July  29. 

This  day  I  ordered  twenty-three  of  the  prisoners  in  irons  on 
account  of  words  they  were  heard  to  say,  —  as,  if  they  were  to  go 
in  the  ship  to  Nantz,  they  would  rise  among  them,  &c.  I  am  still 
waiting  for  a  fair  wind. 


304  APPENDIX. 

Remarks  on  Thursday,  July  30. 

Fresh  gales  of  thick  weather,  and  I  am  waiting  only  for  a  fair 
wind  to  put  to  sea. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  July  31,  1778. 

'  The  first  part  of  this  day  fresh  gales  and  fair  weather.  The 
latter  part,  moderate.  The  pilot  came  on  board  to  carry  us  out  of 
the  harbor,  but  the  wind  failing,  the  pilot  went  on  shore  again. 

Saturday,  August  I,  1778. 

This  day  begins  with  a  calm.  Warped  the  ship  out  of  the 
harbor.  At  noon  got  clear  of  all  the  rocks.  Ordered  the  boats 
hoisted  on  board,  then  made  sail  for  Nantz.  At  5  P.  M.  passed 
through  between  the  Isles  of  Houat  and  Quiberon  Point,  with  the 
three  prize  brigs  under  my  convoy.  At  n  P.  M.  spoke  with 
Captain  Giles,  in  a  schooner  belonging  to  New  London,  North 
America. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Sunday,  August  2,  1778. 

This  day  pleasant  and  moderate  weather.  At  noon  we  anchored, 
it  being  calm,  about  five  miles  from  Point  Groziaet,  N.  W.  At  3 
P.  M.  weighed  anchor,  at  7  came  past  the  Point,  at  9  anchored. 

Monday,  August  3,  1778. 

This  comes  in  with  pleasant  weather.  At  7  in  the  morning 
•weighed  anchor.  At  9  a  branch  pilot  came  on  board.  At  noon 
anchored.  Carried  the  kedge  anchor.  In  warping  the  ship,  the 
bowline  broke  and  the  anchor  lost.  Made  sail  for  the  river.  At 
5  P.  M.  anchored  opposite  the  lowermost  lighthoiue.  At  7 
weighed  anchor  again,  and  at  8  anchored  opposite  a  town  called 
St.  Nazarie.  Captain  Whipple  came  on  board,  and  I  returned 
with  him  on  board  his  ship. 


APPENDIX.  305 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Tuesday,  August  4,  1778- 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  By  my  orders,  left  with  Lieutenant 
Reed,  he  sent  Mr.  Jacobs  in  the  cutter,  with  a  guard  of  marines,  to 
conduct  the  four  prize-masters,  with  the  men,  to  Pienpreiaf,  and 
deliver  them  to  Captain  Whipple,  for  the  Providence. 

Wednesday,  August  5,  1778. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  A  frigate  and  several  small  vessels 
lying  in  company  with  me,  they  being  bound  to  sea  when  the 
wind  serves.  My  ship  is  only  waiting  for  Captain  Whipple. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Thursday,  August  6. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  The  ship  Providence,  Captain 
Whipple,  came  down  from  Pienpreiaf.  I  saluted  his  ship  with 
thirteen  guns,  and  he  returned  the  same  compliment. 

Friday,  August  7,  1778. 

This  day  foggy,  the  wind  at  N.  E.  The  people  employed  in 
stowing  provision  in  the  hold.  At  4  P.  M.  Commodore  Whipple 
fired  a  gun  and  hoisted  a  flag  at  his  maintop-gallant  mast-head, 
as  a  signal  for  the  fleet  to  send  their  boats  on  board  him  to 
receive  orders.  A  pilot  came  on  board  ;  hoisted  in  the  boats,  and 
unmoored  ship.  Pleasant  weather. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Saturday,  August  8,  1778. 

This  morning,  at  3  o'clock,  weighed  anchor  at  St.  Nazarie,  in 
company  with  Captain  Whi'pple,  of  the  Providence,  and  eight 
sails  of  ships,  and  other  vessels  under  our  convoy,  we  being  hound 
to  Brest,  with  the  intention  of  joining  Captain  Simpson,  in  the 
Ranger  [ship,  and  then,  thank  God,  there  will  be  two  frigates  and 
a  sloop  of  war  belonging  to  the  thirteen  United  States  together, 
and  I  hope  Heaven  will  send  us  success  in  the  cruise,  and  that  we 
all  may  return  to  America,  plentifully  loaded  with  his  divine 
20 


306  APPENDIX. 

goodness.]  *     At  8  A.  M.  the  Tower  of  Crozia  bears  N.  E  i  E., 

distance  fifteen  miles.     The  commodore  and  all  the  fleet  in  sight. 

LatI  per  obs.  46°  59'  N. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Sunday,  August  9,  1778. 

This  day  fresh  gales  and  fair  weather.  Spoke  with  the  com- 
modore. The  fleet  in  sight. 

Lat.  per  obs.  46°  42'. 

Remarks  on  board  ihc  Boston,  Monday,  August  10,  1778. 

Moderate  gales  and  pleasant  weather.  All  the  fleet  nigh  to- 
gether. Two  brigs  of  the  fleet,  and  the  Cashmeroy,  saluted  the 
commodore  with  a  number  of  guns.  At  6  in  the  morning,  the 
fleet  consisting  of  eight  vessels,  left  us  and  steered  to  the  west. 

Lat.  per  obs.  46°  41'. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Tuesday,  August  II.  1778. 

This  day  moderate  gales  and  pleasant  weather.  Captain  Whip- 
pie  came  on  board  and  dined  with  me.  Light  gales  in  the  night. 
In  the  morning  saw  two  ships  to  the  westward  of  us.  Spoke  with 
Captain  Whipple,  and  then  set  the  small  sails  and  gave  chase; 
but  the  wind  failing,  could  not  come  near  them.  At  II  took  in  the 
steering  sails,  and  hauled  the  wind :  there  was  eight  sail  in  sight. 
Spoke  with  the  commodore,  who  thought  it  best  to  steer  for  the 
land. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Wednesday,  August  12. 

This  day  pleasant  weather  and  light  breezes  of  wind.  Several 
sail  in  sight.  At  i  A.  M.  sounded  in  seventy  fathoms  water. 
Spoke  with  the  commodore,  who  had  the  same  depth.  Saw  two 
sail  to  the  windward. 

Lat.  per  obs.  47°  47'. 

*  AH  enclosed  is  partly  erased  in  the  original,  yet  legible. 


APPENDIX.  307 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  August  13,  1778,  Thursday. 

Moderate  gales  and  pleasant  weather.  Saw  seven  ships  to  the 
northward  of  us,  but  could  not  discover  whether  they  were  English 
or  French.  At  8  A.  M.  wore  ship,  and  laid  by  under  the  topsails. 
At  12  at  night  wore  ship  again,  and  stood  to  the  northward  and 
westward. 

Friday.  August  14,  17/8. 

Pleasant  weather.  Saw  a  schooner  to  the  westward  of  us,  and 
saw  the  land  bearing  E.  by  N..  distant  six  leagues.  At  I  A.  M. 
wore  ship  to  the  northward,  and  stood  to  the  southward.  At  7  in 
the  morning  saw  L'Orient  bearing  north  of  us.  Stood  in  for 
Brest,  and  fired  a  number  of  signal  guns  for  a  pilot.  Saw  three 
sail  of  vessels  coining  out  of  Brest.  Sent  a  boat  on  board  a 

M 

schooner,  which  returned  with  a  pilot,  who  tarried  on  board  the 
ship  till  4  in  the  afternoon.  I  then  sent  him  on  board  Captain 
Whipple,  judging  it  most  proper  that  Captain  Whipple  should  be 
the  foremost  ship  in  going  into  the  harbor.  Anchored  in  the 
harbor  of  Brest  at  4  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

Saturday,  August  15,  1778. 

A  pleasant  day.  Was  favored  with  a  large  company  of  gentle- 
men belonging  to  the  French  fleet.  Captain  Whipple,  in  the 
Providence,  and  myself,  saluted  the  French  admiral,  whose  fleet 
consisted  of  thirty-two  ships  of  the  line,  with  thirteen  guns  each: 
which  was  returned  by  the  admiral,  and  also  by  the  Ranger. 

Sunday,  August  16,  1778. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  I  went  on  board  Commodore 
Whipple  with  Captain  Simpson.  The  French  admiral  came  on 
board  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  commodore.  On  his  going  from  the 
ship  he  was  saluted  with  thirteen  guns,  and  passing  by  my  ship, 
I  saluted  him  with  eleven.  The  admiral's  ship  returned  the  salute 
with  eleven. 


308  APPENDIX. 

Remarks  OH  board  the  Boston,  Monday,  August  17,  1778. 

This  day  pleasant  weather,  wind  E.  N.  E.  The  French  fleet 
sailed  from  Brest,  consisting  of  one  three-decker,  twenty-two  two- 
deckers,  eight  frigates,  three  snows,  and  one  lugger. 

Tuesday,  August  18,  1778. 

This  day  pleasant  weather.  The  cutter  went  to  town  after  bread 
and  flour. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,   Wednesday,  August  19.  1778. 

A  pleasant  day,  but  little  wind.  Sailed  to  join  the  French  fleet, 
six  two-deckers,  one  frigate,  the  Lively  of  twenty  guns,  and  two 
snows. 

Thursday,  August  20,  1778. 

This  morning  pleasant.  The  commodore  gave  his  signal  for 
sailing.  In  purchasing  our  starboard  bower  the  cable  parted  and 
we  left  the  anchor.  The  Ranger's  people,  some  being  on  shore, 
and  the  others  not  willing  to  go  to  sea  this  day,  Captain  Whipple 
sent  his  boat  on  board  the  Ranger  with  a  number  of  hands,  and  I 
sent  Mr.  Tucker  with  sixteen  men  to  help  unmoor  her.  We  all 
three  sailed  as  far  as  Brest  Water,  and  came  to  anchor  on  account 
of  the  Ranger  having  twenty-five  of  her  men  on  shore  at  Brest. 
But  all  returned  on  board  that  night.  Nothing  more  material  this 
twenty-four  hours. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Friday,  August  21. 

This  morning,  at  5  o'clock,  came  to  sail  with  a  little  wind  to  the 
eastward.  At  9  anchored  in  a  calm.  At  noon  little  wind  from 
.the  N.  W.  This  morning,  Thomas  Shaw,  a  sweeper  on  board, 
received  a  punishment  of  twelve  lashes  on  his  naked  back,  with  a 
cat  of  nine  tails,  for  stealing  a  shirt  from  one  of  the  negroes.  I 
ordered  to  be  given  him  twelve  more  for  stealing  the  same  shirt 
for  rum,  but  forgave  .him,  this  being  the  first  time.  Likewise, 


APPENDIX. 


309 


John  Churchill  received  twelve  lashes  for  getting  drunk  on  duty, 
and  twelve  more  for  absenting  himself  from  duty  and  concealing 
himself  in   the  hold,  so  as  not  to  be  found.     The  said  Churchill 
is  a  very  bad  fellow,  and  been  often  guilty  of  thieving. 
Nothing  more  material  this  day. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Saturday,  August  22,  1778. 

This  day  very  pleasant  weather.  I  went  on  board  the  Com- 
modore. At  4  o'clock  P.  M.  weighed  anchor  and  bore  away,  the 
Commodore  and  the  Ranger  in  company.  At  7  o'clock  Ushant 
bore  N.  by  E.,  distance  about  six  leagues,  from  which  I  take  my 
departure  in  the  Lat.  in  48°  30'  N.,  Long.  5°  2'  W.  from  the 
meridian  of  London.  The  latter  part  of  the  day  cloudv,  and 
moderate  weather.  Lat.  of  Ushant  48°  30'  N.  Long.  5°  2'  West. 

Lat.  per  obs.  47°  36'  N. 


Course.     |       Dist. 

1 

X.  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

1 

8.46  W.j  78  m. 

54m.  S. 

56m.  W 

47.36  N. 

1.24     6.26W. 

56m.  W 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Sunday,  August  23. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  pleasant  weather.  At  6 
P.  M.  hauled  up  the  courses,  and  laid  the  after  sails  to  the  mast. 
The  Ranger  spoke  with  the  chase;  she^proved  a  Spanish  snow, 
bound  to  Havre  de  Grace.  Spoke  with  the  Commodore.  At  4 
P.  M.  set  the  fore-topsail  and  middle-staysail.  A  sail  in  sight; 
gave  chase,  and  set  the  small  sails. 

Lat.  per  obs.  47°  oo'  No. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dist. 

S.66W 

88  m. 

36m. 

80  W. 

47-00 

1.58 

8.24  W. 

136  W. 

APPENDIX. 


Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Monday,  August  24,  1778- 
The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  light  winds  and  clear 
weather.     Set  the  steering  sails  below  and  aloft.     Still  in  chase. 
At  half  past  10  spoke  with  the  Ranger.     At  5  o'clock  P.  M.  saw 
a  sail ;  gave  chase.    The  Ranger  spoke  with  her;  she  proved  to  be 
the  brig  Sally,  Captain  Ward,  from  London,  for  Pensacola.    Her 
cargo  consisting  of  the  following  ai'ticles  :   100  barrels  flour,  200 
bags  bread,  139  tierces  of  beef,  300  barrels  of  pork,  70  firkins  butter. 
60  doz.  bottled  porter, 

2  bbls.  ale,  [  belonging  to  the  captain. 

6  firkins  of  butter  in  cases,  j 

The  commodore  sent  Captain  Proctor,  from  his  ship,  on  board 
of  her  as  prize-master.  Am  in  chase  of  a  sloop;  passed  by  a 
Swedish  brig. 

Lat.  per  obs.  45°  54'  N. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat 

Depart.    |  Lat.  by  Obs.  |   X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

S.38W. 

123 

66  m. 

1 

I05  w-,  45-54  N-!    2.32 

10.56 

241  W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Tuesday,  August  25,  1778. 
The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  pleasant  weather.  Spoke 
•with  the  chase ;  she  was  from  France,  bound  to  America.  Gave 
chase  to  a  ship,  and  set  all  the  small  sails.  Came  up  with  her,  and 
gave  her  a  gun ;  she  answered  us.  and  hove  to.  Handed  the  small 
sails,  hauled  up  the  mainsail  and  foresail;  all  hands  to  quarters. 
She  proved  to  be  a  ship  from  Bordeaux,  bound  to  Cape  St. 
Nicholas.  Lay  to  for  the  Commodore  to  come  up.  At  7  P.  M. 
bore  away,  the  Commodore,  Ranger,  and  the  prize  in  sight. 

Lat.  obs.  45°  24'  No. 


Course. 

Dist.       i    X.  Lat. 

i 

Depart. 

Lot.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

S-78W 

148  m.  |3om.  S. 

144 

45-24 

3-24 

14.20 

385  w. 

APPENDIX. 


Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,   Wednesday,  August  26,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  pleasant  weather.  Saw 
a  sail,  gave  chase,  and  spoke  with  her;  she  proved  to  be  a  Dutch- 
man. At  6  P.  M.  hove  to,  to  wait  for  the  prize.  At  S  filled  away 
again;  clear  and  pleasant  weather.  I  went  on  board  the  Com- 
modore and  dined.  I  sent  from  the  prize  a  cask  of  bottled  porter 
for  my  use. 

Lat.  obs.  45°  21'  No. 


Course. 

Dist. 

XLat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long. 

M.  Dis. 

s.ssw. 

106 

3m.  S. 

106  W. 

45.21 

2.31 

16.51 

491  W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Thursday,  August  27,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  light  breezes  and  cloudy ; 
the  Providence  and  Ranger  close  to  us.  At  8  P.  M.  all  the  small 
sails  handed.  Spoke  with  Captain  Proctor  in  the  prize  brig  Polly. 

Lat.  per  obs.  45°  25'  No. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long.  in.  '    M.  Dirt. 

N.87  W 

77 

4N. 

77  W. 

45-25 

1.49 

18.40 

568  W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Friday,  August  28,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  light  breezes  and  clear 
weather.  The  Providence,  Ranger,  and  the  prize  in  sight.  At  n 
P.  M.  lost  sight  of  the  prize. 

i  Lat.  by  obs.  45°  25'. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dist. 

West. 

89  m. 

CO 

89 

45-25 

2.O6 

20-47 

657  W. 

APPENDIX. 


Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Saturday,  August  29,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  a  fresh  breeze  of  wind 
and  clear  weather.  At  6  P.  M.  handed  top-gallant  sails  and  stay- 
sails; hauled  up  the  mainsail.  The  latter  part  cloudy  weather. 

No  observation  this  day. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Dep.       [Lat.  pcrObs. 

XLong. 

Long  in. 

M.  Dis. 

W.£N. 

161 

l6N. 

i6oW.|    45.41 

3-49 

24-56 

857 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Sunday,  August  30,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  fresh  breezes  of  wind 
and  thick  weather.  The  Providence  and  Ranger  in  company. 
The  latter  part  cloudy  weather.  Commodore  Whipple  spoke  with 
a  Danish  brig  from  St.  Croix. 

Lat.  per  obs.  46°  07'  No. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs.  '  X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dist 

N.yyW 

"3 

26  N. 

no 

46.07            2.39 

27-I5 

927  W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Monday,  August  31,  1778. 

This  twenty-four  hours  pleasant  weather  and  light  breezes  of 
wind.  The  two  ships  in  sight.  Captain  Simpson,  of  the  Ranger, 
came  on  board.  After  tarrying  some  time  on  board,  I  went  with 
him  in  his  boat  on  board  the  Commodore,  where  we  dined. 

Lat.  per  obs.  46°  30'. 


Course.    |      DU. 

X.  Lat. 

Dep. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long.   1  Long.  in. 

Me.  Dist. 

N.67  W      60 

23  N. 

55  W. 

46.30 

I.I9      j     28.34 

982  W. 

APPENDIX. 


Remarks  on  board  the  Boston  Frigate,  Tuesday,  September  i.  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  light  breezes  and  clear 
weather.  At  12  saw  a  sail  to  the  E.  S.  E.  and  gave  chase.  Began 
to  blow  hard,  and  heavy  squalls  with  rain ;  close  reefed  the  top- 
sails and  handed  all  the  staysails.  At  half  past  3  wore  ship  to  the 
westward,  the  Commodore  and  Ranger  in  sight.  Blowed  hard; 
forked  the  topsails  and  mainsail,  down  top-gallant  yards.  At  6 
P.  M-  saw  a  sail,  to  which  gave  chase.  Set  the  mainsail,  jib,  and 
staysail,  let  two  reefs  out  of  each  topsail,  got  up  fore  top-gallant 
yards;  saw  one  sail  more  to  windward.  At  n  A.  M.  the  Com- 
modore hove  out  a  signal,  and  I  left  oft"  the  chase.  Tacked  the  ship 
to  the  eastward,  and  stood  after  the  other  sail.  My  cabin  boy, 
Richard  Jones,  by  accident  fell  overboard,  and  was  in  the  water 
full  half  an  hour;  got  the  pinnace  out,  which  got  to  him  just  as  he 
was  sinking  the  third  time,  and  providentially  saved  him.  He 
being  a  good  swimmer,  he  had  the  presence  of  mind  to  pull  his 
coat  oft"  after  he  was  in  the  water. 

No  obs.  this  day. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

1-at.  per  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dist. 

NWi\V 

73 

41  N. 

60  W. 

47-11 

1.28 

30.02 

I042\V. 

Remarks  on  board  the.  Boston,   Wednesday,  September  2,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  fresh  gales  and  cloudy. 
The  Ranger  carried  away  her  fore-topmast  and  maintop-gallant 
mast.  Gave  over  chase  and  handed  the  top-gallant  sails ;  lowered 
the  topsail  down  on  the  cap,  lay  to  up  S.  S.  W.  off  S.  E.  At  6 
A.  M.  wore  ship  to  the  westward.  Squally  weather  with  rain. 

Lat.  per  obs.  47°  19'  N. 


Course. 

Dist 

X.  Lat 

Dep. 

Lat  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

E.i6N. 

30 

8m.N. 

2911:1.  E. 

47.19 

40  E. 

29.22 

1013  \V. 

3'4 


APPENDIX. 


Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Thursday,  September  3,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  light  breezes  of  wind 
and  cloudy.  The  Commodore  and  Ranger  close  to  us.  At  6  P.  M. 
double  reefed  the  topsails;  squally  weather  with  showers  of  rain; 
handed  the  mizzen-topsail  and  all  small  sails.  The  middle  part, 
heavy  showers  of  rain.  The  latter  part  the  same.  The  Providence 
and  Ranger  close  to  us. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat 

Dep. 

Lat  by  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

West. 

81  m. 

OO 

Si  W. 

47.19 

2.OO 

31.22 

1094  m. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Friday,  September  4,  1778. 

Moderate  breezes  and  cloudy  weather;  let  out  two  reefs  of  each 
topsail.  At  6  A.  M.  up  T.  G.  yards.  The  latter  part  clear  weather. 
The  Commodore  and  Ranger  close  together. 

Lat.  per  obs.  47°  19'  N. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat 

Dep. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dist 

West. 

80 

O 

80  N. 

47.19 

I.58 

33-20 

II74N. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Saturday,  September  5,  1778- 

Light  airs  of  wind  and  clear -weather.  Set  main-topmast  stay- 
sail, and  all  the  small  sails.  At  5  P.  M.  spoke  with  the  Com- 
modore;  handed  top-gallant  sails,  and  all  the  small  sails.  From 
9  to  12  P.  M.  moderate  breezes  and  cloudy  weather.  Double 
reefed  the  fore-topsails.  At  i  A.  M.  a  fresh  breeze ;  set  the  main- 
sail, close  reefed  topsails.  At  4  fresh  gales,  handed  the  topsails, 
and  got  top-gallant  yards  down.  At  n  the  Commodore  made 
signal  for  chase.  Set  whole  topsails,  and  up  top-gallant  yards; 


APPENDIX. 


3'5 


set  top-gallant  sails,  and  steered  to  the  E.  S.  E.     Could  not  see 
our  chase. 

Lat.  bj  obs.  in  47°  36'  N.  uncertain. 


Course. 

Dist. 

XLat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Loug.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

N.76W 

75 

17  N. 

73 

47-30 

i-43 

35-03 

I247W. 

Sunday,  September  6. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  fresh  gales;  all  sails  set; 
the  chase  in  sight.  At  5  P.  M.  set  the  studding  sails;  pleasant 
weather;  still  in  chase.  At  n  the  Ranger*came  up  with  the  chase, 
which  proved  to  be  a  French  ship,  from  St.  Peter's,  bound  to 
France.  At  i  A.  M.  wore  ship  to  the  westward,  took  in  the 
studding  sails,  and  handed  all  the  small  sails.  At  8  A.  M.  went  on 
board  the  Commodore  and  dined. 

Lat.  per  obs.  47°  25'. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X.  Lat, 

Dep. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

S.  72  E. 

37 

II  S. 

35  E. 

47-25 

51 

34-12 

1196 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Monday,  September  7,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  pleasant  weather.  At  5 
P.  M.  I  returned  from  the  Commodore  on  board  my  own  ship. 
Calm  weather  and  cloudy,  attended  with  a  very  heavy  swell.  At 
6  A.  M.  set  the  sail-maker  to  work  to  cut  two  new  mizzen-stay- 
sails.  At  9  light  winds  and  heavy  weather ;  bore  down  to  the 
Commodore.  At  12  the  Commodore  came  on  board  to  dine 

with  me. 

Lat.  per  obs.  47°  04'  No. 


Course.     |      Dist.  X.  Lat. 


Dep.          Lat.  by  Obs.     X  Long.   |  Long.  in.  |    M.  Dist. 


S.38WJ  27111.    2im.S.    16  W.  j    47.04    j  2401.  I   34.36 


316 


APPENDIX. 


Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Tuesday,  September  8,  1778. 
The    first   part   of   this    twenty-four    hours    light   breezes    and 
pleasant.     The   middle   part   the   same.     The    Commodore   and 
Ranger  close  to  us. 

Lat.  per  obs.  46°  34'. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Dep. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long  in. 

M.  Dis. 

SWiW 

60  m. 

38S. 

46m.  W 

46.34 

1.07 

35-43 

I258 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,   Wednesday,  September  9. 

The  first  part  of  these  twenty-four  hours  light  breezes  of  wind 
and  clear  weather.  Bent  a  new  foresail  and  mizzen-staysail;  the 
Commodore  and  Ranger  in  sight.  At  8  A.  M.  saw  a  sail,  and 
gave  chase.  Set  top-gallant  sail  and  mainsail.  At  10  came  up 
with  the  chase,  which  proved  to  be  a  brig  from  the  Granard's, 
bound  to  Glasgow;  hove  to  and  sent  the  boat  on  board.  The 
brig  is  called  the  Friends,  commanded  by  a  Captain  M'Farling, 
her  cargo  consisting  of  rum,  and  some  bags  of  cotton.  Captain 
M'Farling  went  on  board  the  Commodore,  and  the  following  pas- 
sengers and  men  came  on  board  my  ship,  viz.,  William  Kennedy, 
the  supercargo,  Wm.  Hargart,  and  Thomas  Marshall,  passengers. 
John  Torbit  and  Daniel  Johnson,  mates.  Malcolm  Maceset,  Wm. 
Sharp,  John  Robertson,  Daniel  Ferguson,  John  Topson,  and  John 
Bogg,  privates.  I  went  went  on  board  the  Commodore. 

Lat.  per  obs.  46°  31'  No. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Dep. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Loug. 

Long.  in. 

M.Dist. 

West. 

log 

3m.  S. 

109  N. 

46.31 

2.36 

38.19 

1367 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Thursday,  September  10,  1778. 
The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  a  hard  gale  of  wind  and 


APPENDIX. 


3*7 


cloudy  weather.  At  half  past  12  I  returned  from  on  board  the 
Commodore.  At  2  P.  M.  I  sent  from  the  Boston  on  board  the 
prize  one  new  main-topsail,  one  new  staysail,  and  one  mizzen- 
staysail.  The  prize  is  manned  by  the  Ranger.  The  wind  fresh 
under  our  foresail  and  mizzen-staysail.  At  7  P.  M.  wore  ship  to 
the  westward;  the  Commodore,  Ranger,  and  prize  in  sight.  At 
ii  fresh  gales  and  heavy  rains.  Still  under  foresail  and  mizzen- 
staysail. 

No  observation  to-day. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Dep. 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

X  Long. 

• 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

N.36E. 

23 

iSm.N 

iSm.  E. 

46.49 

19  m. 

38.00 

1354  m. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Friday,  September  n,  1778. 

Fresh  gales  of  wind  and  cloudy  weather,  with  rain.  Handed  the 
foresail,  and  set  the  mainsail.  At  9  A.  M.  light  breezes  and  fine 
weather;  the  Commodore  close  to  us.  Went  on  board  the  Com- 
modore, and  after  returning  sent  away  the  following  prisoners, 
viz.,  Daniel  Johnson,  Malcolm  Maccesset,  William  Sharp,  John 
Topsham,  and  John  Bogg,  on  board  the  Ranger.  William  Hagart 
and  Thomas  Marshall,  passengers  in  the  prize,  on  board  the 
Providence.  Daniel  Swords,  one  of  my  men,  on  board  the  Com- 
modore, for  being  mutinous,  and  trying  to  make  some  of  the  peo- 
ple so:  likewise  Anthony  Martin  for  the  same,  both  of  them  being 
ordered  on  board  by  the  Commodore  in  writing.  Received  from 
the  prize  two  hogsheads  rum,  and  about  forty  gallons  in  kegs. 
Mr.  Vickory  came  on  board  from  the  Commodore  in  a  poor  state 
of  health. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dist. 

N.  E. 

16  m. 

nm.N. 

ii  N. 

47.00 

i6E. 

37-44 

1343  W. 

3'S 


APPENDIX. 


Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Saturday,  September  12,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  light  breezes  and  clear 
weather.  At  3  P.  M.  the  yawl  came  on  board ;  hoisted  her  in  and 
made  sail.  The  middle  part,  light  winds.  At  6  A.  M.  saw  a  sail, 
and  gave  chase.  Set  all  the  sails  I  could,  but  wind  being  small 
(almost  a  calm)  could  not  come  up  with  her.  The  Commodore. 
Ranger,  and  prize  nigh  to  us.  Found  a  strong  current  from  the 
N.  E.  this  twenty-four  hours. 

Lat.  per  obs.  46°  10'  No. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long.  in.       M.  Dist. 

s.  w. 

71  m. 

50  m.S. 

50  m. 

46.10 

I-I3 

38.57    JI395W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Sunday,  September  13,  1778. 

Light  breezes  and  clear  weather,  the  chase  still  in  sight.  Hauled 
down  all  studding-sails,  hoisted  the  yawl  out  and  sent  her  on 
board  the  Commodore.  At  4  P.  M.  the  yawl  returned.  Wore 
ship  to  the  S.  westward;  the  ship  in  chase  bore  at  7  S.  E.  from  us. 
The  Commodore,  Ranger,  and  prize  in  sight  of  us;  handed  top- 
gallant sails.  At  4  A.  M.  wore  ship  and  stood  to  N.  eastward,  the 
brig  in  sight.  At  7  the  Commodore  spoke  to  me,  and  ordered  to 
steer  N.  E.  till  12  at  noon.  Lost  sight  of  the  chase. 

Lat.  per  obs.  45°  54'  No. 


Course. 

Dist 

X.  Lat. 

Dep. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dist. 

S.  E. 

23m. 

168. 

16  m. 

45-54 

23  E. 

38.34 

1377  m. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Monday,  September  14,  1778. 
Fresh  breezes  and  clear  weather  the  fore  part  of  this  twenty- 
four  hours.     At  6  double  reefed  our  topsails;  fresh  breezes  and 


APPENDIX. 


319 


cloudy.  At  8  hauled  up  the  mainsail  and  stowed  the  small  sails. 
At  10  fresh  gales  and  cloudy;  took  in  the  third  reef  in  the  topsails 
and  furled  the  mainsail.  At  2  A.  M.  the  Commodore  and  Ranger 
in  sight.  At  6  A.  M.  saw  a  sail  and  gave  chase ;  let  one  reef  out  of 
each  topsail,  down  top-gallant  yards,  set  the  mainsail  and  all  the 
small  sails;  came  nigh  the  chase,  which  I  found  to  be  the  prize 
Friends,  already  belonging  to  us.  Half  past  10  o'clock  wore  ship 
to  the  southward.  The  Commodore  and  Ranger  close  to  us. 

Lat.  per  obs.  46°  n'  No. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X.  Lat. 

Dep. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Die.        « 

WbyN 

77  m- 

15  N. 

75H1.W 

46.11 

1.48 

40.22 

1452      " 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston  Tuesday,  September  15.  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  light  breezes  of  wind 
and  cloudy  weather.  At  7  P.  M.  hove  to  for  the  Commodore  and 
Ranger;  hauled  up  the  foresail.  At  5  A.  M'.  cloudy  weather.  Let 
the  reefs  out  of  the  topsails  and  got  up  top-gallant  yards.  At  10 
little  wind  and  clear  weather.  Saw  a  sail ;  set  the  mainsail  and  all 
the  small  sails,  and  gave  chase. 

Lat.  per  obs.  45°  49'  No. 


Course. 

Dist. 

XLat 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

S.6oW. 

45 

22  S. 

39  W. 

45-49 

56  W. 

4I.I8 

1491  W. 

Remarks  on  board  the.  Boston,   Wednesday,  September  16,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  light  breezes  of  wind ; 

still  in  chase.    At  P.  M.  hove  to,  the  vessel  in  chase  running  down 

for  us;  hoisted  out  the  yawl,  and  sent  Mr.  Bates  on  board.    She 

proved  to  be   the  snow  Adventure,  Captain  Symes,  from  New- 


320 


APPENDIX. 


.  foundland,  bound  to  Pont-a-Port,  loaded  with  fish.  Mr.  Bates 
sent  on  board  Captain  Symes  and  four  of  his  men.  At  7  P.  M.  I 
went  on  board  the  Commodore  with  Captain  Svmes.  At  8  the 
prize  was  manned  by  me  with  the  following  men  :  Win.  Atkins, 
prize-master,  John  Baneauf,  his  mate,  A.  Richardson,  D.  Orne, 
Joseph  Cornish,  Imamrign,  John  Allarey,  Antonie  Barazeir,  and 
James  Cummins.  I  left  Captain  Symes  on  board  the  Commodore, 
and  have  four  privates  on  board  my  ship,  viz.,  Robert  Miller, 
James  Shea,  Wm.  Call,  and  Wm.  Allen.  Two  sails  in  sight. 

Lat.  per  obs.  45°  47'  No. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Dep. 

I,at.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long  in. 

M.  Dis. 

w.  i  s. 

21  in. 

2  m.  S. 

21  W. 

45-47 

0.30 

41.48 

1512 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Thursday,  September  17,  1778. 

Light  breezes  and  clear  weather,  still  the  chase  in  sight.  At 
half  past  5  hauled  up  the  courses  and  spoke  to  the  Commodore. 
At  8  P.  M.  wore  ship  to  the  westward;  the  two  ships  still  in  sight; 
fresh  breezes  and  cloudy  with  rain.  Half  past  7  wore  ship  to  the 
eastward.  At  losaw  two  ships  bearing  S.  E.  from  us  ;  gave  chase ; 
the  weather  being  thick  and  rainy  lost  sight  of  them.  Spoke  to 
the  Commodore,  who  ordered  me  to  steer  E.  by  S. ;  the  Ranger  in 
sight.  At  5  A.  M.  set  the  mainsail.  At  7  heavy  squalls  of  rain; 
forked  our  topsails;  spoke  to  the  Commodore  and  Ranger.  At  8 
set  single-reefed  topsails  and  mainsail.  At  n  saw  a  sail  to  wind- 
ward;  gave  chase;  set  T.  G.  sails.  Heavy  showers  of  rain;  lost 
sight  of  the  chase. 

Lat.  per  obs.  46°  16'. 


Course. 

Dist 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs.'  X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dist. 

N.65E. 

69  in. 

29m.  N. 

62  m.E. 

46.16    |i-3oE. 

40.18 

I450W. 

APPENDIX. 


321 


Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Friday,  September  18,  1778. 

Squally  weather  and  showers  of  rain.  Handed  all  the  topsails 
and  mainsail;  laid  to  under  foresail  and  mizzen-staysail.  At 
P.  M.  the  weather  the  same ;  the  Commodore  and  Ranger  in  sight. 
At6  A.  M.  set  all  the  three  topsails ;  the  wind  more  moderate.  At  9 
dirty  weather,  with  showers  of  rain;  forked  the  mizzen-topsail. 

Lat.  46°  06'  North. 


Course. 

Disk 

X  Lat 

Dcp. 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

X  Long. 

1 
Long.  in.       M.  Dis. 

S.78E. 

47  m- 

10  m. 

46  m. 

46.06 

1.04 

39.12   ji404W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Saturday,  September  19,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  fresh  gales  of  wind  and 
rain;  under  fore,  mizzen,  and  mizzen-staysail.  At  5  P.  M.  set  the 
mainsail.  At  7  took  in  fore  and  main-topsails.  The  middle  part, 
fresh  gales  of  wind  and  plenty  of  rain.  At  7  A.  M.  set  the  topsails. 

Lat.  per  obs.  44°  38'  North. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat. 

Dep. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dist. 

S£  W. 

89 

88m. 

8  W. 

44-33 

I2in.  W 

39-24 

1412  W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Sunday,  September  20,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  squally  weather  and 

rain.     At  6  P.  M.  set  the  main-topsail.  •  The    middle  part,  the 

weather  much  the  same.     At  2  A.  M.  clewed  up  the  main-topsail. 

At  6  set  the  main-topsail.     At  8  set  the  foresail  and  all  the  small 

21 


322  APPENDIX. 

sails;   all  reefs  out  the  topsails;  light  breezes  of  wind  and  clear 
weather. 

Lat.  per  obs.  43°  26'  No. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lat 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dist. 

S-35W. 

88  in. 

72m.N. 

5om.W 

43.26 

I.IO 

40-34 

1462  W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Monday,  September  21,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  fresh  breezes  and  clear 
weather.  Got  up  the  top-gallant  yards  and  set  the  sails.  At  7 
P.  M.  tacked  ship,  handed  the  top-gallant  sails,  and  spoke  to  the 
Commodore.  At  10  fresh  breezes  and  clear  weather;  hauled  up 
the  mainsail  and  down  with  all  small  sail.  At  i  A.  M.  double 
reefed  the  topsails,  handed  the  mizzen-topsail  and  mainsail. 
Squally  weather  with  rain.  At  5  close  reefed  our  topsails,  down 
top-gallant  yards,  and  took  in  the  fore-topsail.  At  8  moderate 
breezes  and  cloudy,  set  the  fore-topsail,  all  the  staysails,  and  jib. 

Lat.  per  obs.  43°  31'. 


Course. 

Eist. 

X  Lat. 

Dcp. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  I^on  p. 

Long  in. 

M.  Dis. 

W.  i  N. 

59 

5  m.N. 

58 

43-31 

1.  2O 

41-54 

1520  m. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Tuesday,  September  22,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  moderate  breezes  and 
clear  weather.  Hauled  up  the  foresail,  and  bore  away  under  the 
Commodore's  stern,  and  hove  to.  At  i  P.  M.  hoisted  out  the 
pinnace  and  sent  her  on  board  the  Commodore,  for  himself  and 
Captain  Ilinman  to  come  on  board  and  dine.  After  the  boat 
returned  sent  her  on  board  the  Ranger,  for  Captain  Simpson, 
who  came  on  board.  At  2  made  sail.  At  5  took  in  the  topsails 
and  handed  the  mainsail ;  fresh  gales  and  rain.  At  3  A.  M.  wore 


APPENDIX. 


ship  and  stood  to  the  westward.  At  6  let  the  reefs  out  of  the  top- 
sails and  set  the  staysails.  At  n  sent  up  main  top-gallant  yards, 
and  set  the  T.  G.  sails. 

Lat.  per  obs.  44°  04'. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X.  Lat. 

Dep. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

N58W 

62  m. 

33  N. 

52  W. 

44.04 

1-13 

43-07 

1572  m. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Wednesday,  September  23,  1778- 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  fresh  gales  and  cloudy 
weather.  At  3  P.  M.  took  in  top-gallant  sails,  took  two  reefs  in 
the  T.  sails.  At  7  took  in  M.  T.  sail.  At  half  past  9  set  the  main- 
sail. At  i  A.  M.  hazy  weather,  with  rain  and  sharp  lightning. 
Half  past  7  set  the  fore-topsail  and  mizzen-topsail.  The  latter 
part  of  the  twenty-four  hours  fresh  breezes  and  clear  weather. 

Lat.  per  obs.  44°  07'  No. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X  Lnt. 

Depart. 

Lat.  by  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dist. 

West. 

127  m. 

3N. 

127 

44.07 

2.56 

46.03 

1699 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Thursday,  September  24,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  squally  weather  and 
rain.  At  2  P.  M.  reefed  the  topsails,  handed  the  mizzen  T.  sail. 
At  5  set  the  M.  topmast  staysail.  •  At  8  I  spoke  with  the  Com- 
modore, who  acquainted  me  he  had  sounded,  but  had  no  ground. 
At  10  out  one  reef  T.  sails  ;  heavy  weather  with  lightning.  At  n 
out  all  reefs.  At  3  A.  M.  took  two  reefs  in  the  M.  and  T.  topsails ; 
took  one  reef  in  the  mizzen-topsail  and  forked  it;  fresh  breezes 
and  rain.  At  7  out  all  reefs  in  topsails,  set  the  staysails,  unbent 


324 


APPENDIX. 


the  fore-topsail  and  bent  another.     The  latter  part  of  the  twenty- 
four  hours  light  breezes  and  fair  weather. 

Lat.  per  obs.  44°  30'  No. 

Course.  Disk       |     X  Lat.         Depart.     |Lat.  pcrObs.'    XLong.   |  Long.  in.  I     M.  Dis. 


W.byNi  94  m.  j   23  N.      91  m.       44.30 


2.6     I   48.09 


Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Friday,  September  25,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  fresh  gales  of  wind  and 
squally.  At  3  P.  M.  took  two  reefs  in  the  topsails,  handed  mizzen- 
topsail.  At  4  set  mizzen-topsail.  At  6  fresh  gales  and  rain. 
Commodore  and  Ranger  in  sight.  At  10  close  reefed  T  sails, 
handed  M.  T.  sail,  hauled  up  the  F.  sail,  and  hove  to  for  sounding 
but  got  no  bottom.  At  n  set  M.  T.  mast  staysail  and  M.  staysail. 
At  3  A.  M.  down  M.  T.  M.  staysail ;  fresh  breezes  and  hazy.  At  6 
hove  to  and  tried  for  sounding,  but  had  no  ground.  Set  the  miz- 
zen-topsail and  M.  T.  M.  staysail.  At  10  set  the  M.  sail.  Sounded, 
but  no  bottom. 

Lat.  per  obs.  44°  42'. 


Course. 

Dist. 

X.  Lat. 

Dep. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

XLong. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Diet. 

N.83W 

105 

I2IT1.N. 

104  W. 

44.42 

2.28 

50-37 

1894 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Sattirday,  September  26,  1778. 

Light  breeze  of  wind  and  foggy  weather.  At  4  P.  M.  hove  to 
for  sounding,  but  got  no  ground.  Cleared  up.  Got  up  T.  G. 
yards,  out  all  reefs  T.  sails ;  set  the  T.  G.  sails ;  took  two  reefs  in 
the  M.  T.  sail ;  hauled  up  the  M.  sail  and  handed  it.  Thick  weather. 
At  midnight  the  Commodore  and  Ranger  in  sight  of  us;  hove  to 
under  mizzen  and  mizzen  T.  sails.  Clewed  up  the  T.  sails.  At 


APPENDIX. 


325 


12  made  sail,  and  bore  down  to  the  Commodore.     Latter  part  of 
this  twenty-four  hours  light  airs  and  thick  of  fog. 

N.  B.  At  8  P.  M.  spoke  with  Captain  Simpson,  who  sounded 
at  7,  the  hour  before;  got  ground  in  eighty  fathoms  depth,  in  the 
Grand  Bank.  In  laying  by  caught  several  codfish. 

Lat.  per  obs.  45°  oo'  No. 


Course. 

Disk 

X  Lat. 

Depart. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dist. 

N.6o  W 

36 

iSm.N. 

31  m. 

45-00 

44 

51.21 

IQ25W. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Sunday,  September  27,  1778. 

Light  breezes  and  foggj'  weather.  At  2  P.  M.  out  all  reefs,  top- 
sails. Spoke  with  the  Commodore.  At  3  handed  the  topsails,  and 
lay  to  under  the  mizzen  and  mizzen-staysail.  Still  foggy ;  reefed  the 
topsails.  At  6  A.  M.  saw  a  sail ;  out  all  reefs  T.  sails  ;  set  the  top- 
gallant sails  fore  and  aft;  set  the  driver.  At  to  down  steering 
sails  inT.  G.  sails.  At  n  A.  M.  came  up  and  spoke  with  the  brig 
William,  Captain  Robert  Stonehouse,  who  sailed  from  Boston  for 
Amsterdam  the  loth  day  of  March,  1778,  with  a  cargo  of  twenty 
casks  tobacco,  one  hundred  and  ninety  casks  flax-seed,  fifty  barrels 
pot  and  pearl  ash.  Sailed  from  Amsterdam,  August  3,  1778;  out 
fifty  days  when  spoke  with.  Registered  in  Boston,  before  Nathaniel 
Barber,  naval  officer. 

Lat.  per  obs.  45°  24'  No. 


Course. 

Dist.       i    X.  Lat 

1 

Dcp. 

Lat.  per  Obs. 

X  Long. 

Long.  in. 

M.  Dis. 

N.27E. 

27       24.  mN. 

12  E. 

45-24 

'7 

31.04 

1913 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Monday,  September  28,  1778. 

First  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  fresh  breezes  and  cloudy 
weather.     At  i  P.  M.  hove  the  main-topsail  to  the  mast.     At  3 


APPENDIX. 


close  reefed  the  topsails.  At  6  P.  M.  I  returned  from  on  board 
the  Ranger.  The  middle  part  foggy,  disagreeable  weather.  At  9 
A.  M.  hauled  down  the  staysails,  up  foresail,  out  boats  to  scrub  the 
ship's  bottom,  she  being  very  foul.  Nothing  more  material. 

No  observation  this  day.     Coursing  on  the  Banks. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Tuesday,  September  29,  1778. 

The  first  part  of  this  twenty-four  hours  light  winds  and  foggy. 
At  I  A.  M.  fired  several  guns,  but  had  no  answer.  I  still  con- 
tinued cleaning  ship.  At  2  P.  M.  finished  with  my  boats  hogging 
and  scraping.  At  3  sprung  up  a  breeze  from  the  S.  S.  W.  Made 
sail  ;  fired  a  gun.  The  Providence  answered.  Run  for  the  report. 
At  4  P.  M.  spoke  with  Captain  Whipple.  Middle  and  latter  parts 
continuing  thick  and  foggy. 

Lat.  per  obs.  45°  16'  No. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Wednesday,  September  30.  1778. 

This  twenty-four  hours  small  breezes  of  wind;  all  hands  em- 
ployed in  clearing  the  ship  Boston.  At  roP.  M.  calm,  ship's  head 
to  the  westward.  Continued  hogging  ship  fore  and  aft.  At  8 
P.  M.  Captain  Whipple  and  Captain  Hinman  came  on  board. 
At  5  returned  on  board  the  Providence.  Middle  and  latter  parts 
calm  and  foggy.  Fired  signal  guns  for  company.  At  10  A.  M. 
clear.  Captain  Whipple  hailed  the  Boston  for  me  to  come  on 
board.  I  ordered  the  yawl  out,  and  went  on  board  to  dine  with 
him  ;  quite  clear  and  calm.  Nothing  more.  remarkable  this  twenty- 
four  hours. 

Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Thursday,  October  I,  1778. 

This  twenty-four  hours  first  part  clear  and  calm.  At  3  P.  M.  I 
returned  on  board  from  the  Providence.  A  light  air  from  the 
E.  N.  E.  ;  made  sail  to  the  westward. 


APPENDIX. 


327 


Remarks  on  board  the  Boston,  Friday,  October  2,  1778- 

This  twenty-four  hours  begins  with  moderate  breezes  and 
cloudy  weather.  At  4  P.  M.  fresh  gales ;  double  reefed  fore  and 
M.  T.  sails;  handed  mizzen-topsail.  At  6  do.  sounded;  had  forty- 
five  fathoms.  Spoke 'with  Captain  Whipple,  and  bore  away 
W.  S.  W.  From  this  Bank  I  take  a  new  departure,  being  about 
two  degrees  ahead  of  the  ship,  when  getting  ground,  judging  by 
the  depth  of  water,  in  Lat.  43°  50',  Long.  51°  40'  W. 


Course. 

Dist 

X  Lat. 

Dep. 

_ 

XLong. 

Long  in. 

M.  Dis. 

SWiW 

132  m. 

84m. 

102 

42.26 

2.2O  W. 

54-00 

102  W. 

APPENDIX. 


II.  GENERAL   SIGNALS  TO   BE   OBSERVED   BY  THE 
FLEET. 


Signals  to  be  Observed  by  Day. 


To  prepare  for  sailing,     .     .     . 
To  unmoor,   ....... 

To  weigh, 

Weathermost     and     headmost 
ships  to  tack  first,     .... 

Sternmost     and     leewardmost 
ships  to  tack  first,     .... 

All  ship's  to  tack, 

Bear  up  before  the  wind,      .     . 
Discovering  sails, 


Speak  the  Commodore, 


Discovering  land, 


Fore-topsail  loose  in  top. 
Three  topsails  loose. 
Topsails  sheeted  home. 

Continental  Jack,  fore-topmast 
head. 

Continental  Jack,  main-top- 
mast head. 

Striped  flag,  main-topmast 
head. 

Pendant  at  mizzen  peak  and 
Jack  at  main-topmast  head. 

White  Jack  at  main-topmast 
head;  if  to  windward,  fore- 
topmast  head;  if  to  leeward, 
hoist  and  lower  it  as  often  as 
you  see  sails. 

When  any  of  the  ships  wan*  to 
speak  v/ith  the  Providence, 
they  must  make  the  same  sig- 
nal which  she  makes  them. 

Continental  ensign  at  ensign 
staff,  a  flag  main-topmast 
head. 


APPENDIX. 


329 


Bring  to  on  starboard  tack, 

"          "      larboard  tack,  . 

To  make  sail  after  lying  by, 

If  in  distress, 


Losing  company  and  meeting 
again, 


Continental  Jack,  mizzen-top- 
mast  head,  one  gun. 

White  flag  mizzen-topmast 
head,  and  two  guns. 

Red  ensign  at  mizzen  peak,  and 
three  guns,  if  thick  weather. 

Haul  up  mizzen,  and  hoist  three 
colors,  one  over  the  other  at 
mizzen  peak;  if  not  dis- 
covered, fire  guns  till  an- 
swered. 

The  weathermost  to  hand  the 
fore  top-gallant  sail,  if  set, 
and  clew  up  fore  topsails  with 
yard  aloft,  and  white  flag  at 
fore  topmast  head. 

The  leevvardmost  to  answer  by 
handing  main  top-gallant 
sail,  if  set,  and  clew  up  main- 
topsail  with  yard  aloft,  and 
white  flag  at  main  top-gallant 
masthead. 


Providence  leads  ahead. 


Signals  to  be  Observed  by  Night. 

Signals  by  Night.  Lights.  Signals  by  Night 

To  unmoor,       ....  2  One  over  the  other  in  fore  shrouds. 

To  weigh, 3  In  same  manner  and  place. 

To  anchor, 3  One  at  each  M.  head. 

Cut  or  slip,  ......  4  One  at  each  yard-arm. 

Head   and  weathermost 
ships  to  tack  first,  .      .     2     Ensign  staff. 


330 


APPENDIX. 


Signals  by  Night  Lights. 

Sternmost  and  leeward- 
most  ships  to  tack  first,     3 

Discovering  sails, .     .     .     3 


To  speak, 4 

Discovering  danger,  .     .     4 


Signals  by  Xight 

Ensign  staff. 

Mizzen  shrouds  placed  triangular  if 
to  windward,  if  to  leeward  add  an 
ensign  staff. 

At  mainpeak. 

Of  equal  height  fire  three  guns. 


To  alter  course,     .     .     . 

"     "      to  starboard,     . 
"     "      to  port,    .     .     . 

To  bring  to  on  starboard 
tack, 

To  bring  to  larboard  tack 

To  make  sail  after  lying 

by,    ...'.... 

Losing     company    and 
meeting  again, .     .     . 


Guns 

I 


Lights.    False 
fire. 


2 


—     For  each  point  of  compass. 


I     Ensign  staff. 


Short  time  one  after  an- 
other. 

The  ship  that  hails  first 
shall  ask,  "  What  ship's 
that?"  then  he  that  is 
hailed  shall  answer, 
"Carnes."  Then  he  that 
hailed  first  shall  answer, 
"  Saratoga." 


Signals  to  be  Observed  in  a  Fog. 

To  bring  to  on  starboard  tack, 2  guns. 

"       "         "      larboard  tack, 3      " 

"       "         "      to  tack,     , 4      " 


APPENDIX. 


331 


To  make  sail  after  lying  by, 5  guns. 

Discovering  land  or  danger, 6      " 

Continuing  same  sail, - 

Ringing  bells,  beating  drums,  &c.,    ...*....— 
Losing  company  and  meeting  again,  same  as  in  the  night. 

Signals  to  Engage. 

Striped  Jack  at  main  top-gallant  masthead  under  the  pendant,  to 
engage. 

To  leave  off  Engaging. 

The  same  color  hauled  down  from  them,  and  hoisted  at  fore  top- 
gallant masthead. 

If  after  signal  is  made  to  desist  from  engaging,  it  should  be 
necessary  for  each  vessel  to  use  their  utmost  endeavors  to  escape 
from  the  enemy,  I  will  hoist  a  French  pendant  under  the  striped 
flag,  at  fore  top-gallant  masthead. 

Signals  for  the  Boston. 

Commodore  to  speak  her,    .     .  Dutch  Jack  mizzen-peak. 

Boston  to  chase, Dutch  ensign,  ensign  staff. 

Station, Starboard  quarter  Commodore. 

Boston  to  quit  chase,  ....  Three  guns. 

Signals  for  the  Ranger. 

Ranger  to  chase, White  ens'gn  at  ensign  staff. 

To  leave  chase, Two  guns. 

Commo.  to  speak  the  Ranger, .  Continental  Jack  mizzen-peak. 

Station Larboard  quarter. 


332  APPENDIX. 

Signals  for  the  Queen. 
Queen  to  chase, ......        Red  ensign,  ensign  staff. 

To  leave  off  chase, One  gun. 

Commodore  to  speak  Queen,  .        White  Jack  at  mizzen  peak. 
Station, Queen  brings  up  the  rear. 

To  form  a  Line  of  the  Fleet  ahead. 
Whiff  in  the  ensign. 

Line  abreast. 
Dutch  Jack  mizzen-topmast  head. 

In  case  of  any  misfortune,  which  God  forbid,  these  signals  are 
to  be  destroyed. 

Given  under  my  hand,  on  board  the  Continental  Frigate  Provi- 
dence, Nantasket  Road,  this  22d  day  of  November,  1779. 
By  the  Commodore  commanding, 

ABRAHAM  WHIPPLE. 
JOSEPH  WEST,  Clerk. 

To  SAMUEL  TUCKER,  Esq.,  Commander  Boston. 


333 


SIGNALS  TO  BE   OBSERVED  BY  COMMANDERS  IN 
THE   CONTINENTAL  NAVY. 

By  Day. 

The  ship  to  windward  must  hoist  a  French  Jack  at  the  fore 
top-gallant  masthead,  and  lower  the  fore  top-gallant  sail  or  topsail. 

If  a  sloop,  a  French  Jack  at  the  masthead,  and  lower  the  foresail. 

If  a  schooner,  a  French  Jack  at  the  fore  top-masthead,  and  lower 
the  foresail. 

The  ships  to  leeward  must  hoist  a  Continental  Jack  at  the  main 
top-gallant  masthead,  and  lower  the  main  top-gallant  sail,  or  main 
topsail.  If  a  sloop,  or  schooner,  they  must  hoist  a  Continental 
Jack  at  the  maintop  masthead,  and  lower  the  mainsail.  Then  each 
vessel  to  show  her  proper  colors  at  the  ensign  staff.  The  wind- 
ward vessel  to  fire  one  gun  to  leeward,  and  the  leeward  vessel  one 
to  windward. 

By  Night. 

The  ship  to  windward  must  show  two  lights  abreast,  and  fire 
one  gun.  The  ship  to  leeward,  three  lights,  one  above  the  other, 
and  fire  two  guns. 

N.  B.  All  commanders  are  strictly  ordered  to  destroy  these 
signals  before  the  enemy's  boats  board  them. 

YORK,  January  14. 

By  order  of  the  Honorable  the  Marine  Committee. 

JOHN  BROWN,  Secretary. 
A  true  copy  of  the  original.    , 

Attest.  WILLIAM  STORY, 

Clerk  to  Navy  Board,  Eastern  Department. 

To  SAMUEL  TUCKER,  Esq., 

Commander  of  the  Ship  Boston. 


334  APPENDIX, 


SIGNALS   FRENCH    FLEET. 

When  his  Majesty's  fleet  shall  be  to  windward,  the  Britannia 
will  hoist  a  flag  at  the  fore  top-gallant  masthead,  and  will  lower 
fore  topsail,  fire  a  gun  to  leeward. 

When  his  Majesty's  fleet  shall  be  to  leeward,  the  Britannia  will 
hoist  two  white  flags,  one  upon  the  other,  at  the  main  top-gallant 
masthead,  and  lower  her  main  topsail,  fire  three  guns  to  wind- 
ward. 

On  board  the  Britannia,  iyth  August,  1778. 

CAPTAIN  SAMUEL  TUCKER,  Boston. 


APPENDIX.  335 


III.   NOTES. 

Page  19. 

MARBLEHEAD,  January  17,  1850. 

This  may  certify  that  on  examination  of  the  Record  belonging 
to  the  "  First  Church  of  Christ,  in  Marblehead,  Lib.  II.,  1740," 
page  8,  under  the  head  of  Baptisms,  I  find  recorded  the  name  of 

(  ANDREW  >    • 

"  SAMUEL  inf.  <  >  TUCKER," 

t  MARY       J 

with   the  date,  1747,   at   head  of  the  column,  and  November  8, 
opposite,  on  the  left  of  his  name. 

RICHARD  HOMAN,  Clerk  of  First  Church. 

Page  19. 

(A  Copy  from  the  Family  Bible.') 
RECORD  OF  MARRIAGES  AND  BIRTHS. 

Samuel  Tucker,  son  of  Andrew  and  Mary  Tucker,  of  Marble- 
head,  was  married  to  Mary  Gatchell,  daughter  of  Samuel  and 
Ann  Gatchell,  of  Marblehead,  on  the  2ist  day  of  December,  in 
the  year  1768. 

The  time  and  births  of  their  children,  and  their  names,  as  fol- 
lows :  — 

Samuel  Tucker, November  i,  1747. 

Mary,  his  wife, January  30,  1752. 

Mary  Tucker,       ....     ist  child,     .     .     .  May  21,  i?7<>- 

Martha  Tucker,        ...     ad      "         ...  June  20,  1772. 

Samuel  Tucker,  Jr.,      .     .     3d      "         ...  April  5,  i?75- 

Betsey  Tucker,     .     ...     4th     "         ...  February  20,  1777. 

Samuel  Tucker,  .     .    .    .    5th    "        ...  March  2,  1778. 


336  APPENDIX. 

Mary  Tucker  was  married  to  Benjamin  Hinds,  December,         1789. 

Benjamin  Hinds, March  19,          1791. 

Benjamin  Hinds, August  27,         1793- 

Samuel  Tucker  Hinds, September  27,  1798. 

Martha  Tucker,  married  John  Tedder,      .     .  November  i,     1797- 

Jane  Talbot born     .     .     .  August  21,         1798- 

John  Tedder, "        ...  April  14,            1800. 

Martha  Elizabeth  Tedder,      .      "       ...  August  21,        1802. 

Mary  Tedder, "        ...  September  28.  1804. 

John  Tedder, "        ...  December  27,   1806. 

Martha  Elizabeth  Tedder,  .     .      "        ...  November  14,  1808. 

RECORD  OF  DEATHS. 

Samuel  Tucker,  Jun.,  died  September  5,  1776,  at  home. 

Betsey  Tucker,  died  December  8,  1781,  at  home. 

Samuel  Tucker,  died  December  23,  1795,  in  the  West  Indies. 

Captain  Benjamin  Hinds,  son-in-law,  died  April  12,  1799, 
at  sea. 

Benjamin  Hinds,  grandson,  died  January  19,  1792,  at  home. 

John  Tedder,  my  youngest  daughter's  son,  died  November,  1800, 
at  home. 

Martha  Elizabeth  Tedder,  died  October  21.  1805. 

Mary  Tucker,  my  mother,  died  March  6,  1808,  aged  91  years  and 
6  months. 

Jane  Tedder,  granddaughter,  died  1810,  aged  15  years  6A  months. 

Mrs.  Mary  Tucker,  died  December  30,  1831,  aged  79  years. 

Samuel  Tucker,  died  March  10,  1833,  aged  85  years  4  months. 

Page  49. 

"  Tempora  mutantur,  et  nos  mutamur  cum  illis,"  the  times 
have  changed,  and  we  change  with  them;  as  the  following  extract 
will  shoSv  from  the  Journals  of  Congress,  October  16,  1778. 

"  Whereas,  Frequenting  playhouses,  and  theatrical  entertain- 


APPENDIX.  337 

ments  has  a  fatal  tendency  to  divert  the  minds  of  the  people  from 
a  due  attention  to  the  means  necessary  for  the  defence  of  their 
country  and  the  preservation  of  their  liberties: 

"  Resolved,  That  any  person,  or  officer  under  the  United  States, 
who  shall  act,  promote,  encourage,  or  attend  such  plays,  shall  he 
deemed  unworthy  to  hold  such  office,  and  shall  be  accordingly 
dismissed."  —  Vol.  IV.,  p.  602. 

Page  56. 

MARBLEHEAD,  February  3,  1776. 

SIR  :  This  will  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  esteemed  favor 
per  Mr.  Gould,  and  note  contents.  I  heartily  congratulate  you, 
Captain  Waters,  and  your  officers,  on  the  success  of  your  last 
cruise,  and  I  hope  your  next  will  prove  as  successful.  I  should 
have  set  off  for  Cape  Ann  with  Mr.  Gould,  but  the  indisposition 
of  my  bodily  health  is  such  as  will  not  permit  of  it  to-day,  but 
am  in  hopes  by  Monday  shall  be  able  to  be  at  Cape  Ann ;  if  my 
disorder  should  not  return,  I  will  immediately  attend.  Captain 
Sargent,  who  is  appointed  agent  for  the  Continent,  will,  you  may 
depend,  take  all  the  care  that  man  can  do,  as  he  will  be  account- 
able for  an}'  embezzlement.  So  that  you  have  nothing  to  fear  on 
that  account.  The  sloop  you  mention  you  took  within  four  leagues 
of  the  lighthouse,  I  hope  the  agent  has  taken  the  master  and  sent 
him  forward  to  headquarters.  If  he  has  not,  I  would  recommend 
to  you  that  you  send  him  immediately.  I  am  informed  that  there 
is  a  large  transport  ship,  that  was  fitted  out  at  Boston,  mounting 
sixteen  guns.  She  yesterday  got  between  the  land  and  one  of  our 
fishing  schooners,  Skipper  Dixey,  and  was  chasing  her  off  Cape 
Cod  when  seen  last.  I  mention  this,  because  I  would  have  you 
keep  a  good  look  out  for  her,  as  I  would  have  you  avoid  falling 
into  her  hands.  You  may  depend  on  her  being  strong  manned. 
I  do  not  mean  to  direct  you,  only  mention  it,  as  I  would  be  fond  of 
giving  you  (and  the  gentlemen)  that  are  concerned  in  the  armed 
vessels  all  the  intelligence  I  am  able.  I  have  this  moment,  since 
22 


338  APPENDIX. 

writing  the  above,  been  acquainted  bj  Captain  Joseph  Hibbart, 
who  is  from  Cape  Ann.  that  the  sloop  you  took  came  up  from 
Cape  Ann,  run  right  to  the  man  of  war,  who  has  taken  her  into 
his  custody,  and  she  is  now  gone  by  between  the  point  of  neck 
and  Catt  Island  for  Boston.  By  his  account  I  fear  the  agent  has 
let  him  go.  I  would  hope  still  it  is  not  the  sloop. 

Sir,  I  am  informed  that  Captain  Waters  has  not  employed  any 
person  as  agent  for  him  and  his  officers;  if  that  should  be  the  case, 
shall  esteem  it  a  favor  if  3'ou  make  mention  of  me  to  them  ;  as  I  am 
agent  for  Captain  Manly,  Captain  Burke,  yourself,  all  the  officers 
of  them,  I  should  be  glad  to  serve  them  likewise,  if  not  engaged, 
and  it  should  be  agreeable;  on  your  mentioning  the  matter  to 
Captain  Waters  and  his  officers,  desire  him  to  give  me  a  line  by 
way  of  desire  that  I  would  act  as  their  agent,  he  and  his  officers 
sign  it.  Your  interest  in  the  matter  will  much  oblige, 
Your  friend  and  humble  servant, 

JONATHAN  GLOVER. 

To  CAPTAIN  SAMUEL  TUCKER. 

Page  71. 

The  following  is  a  true  copy  of  a  paper  forwarded  on  to  Wash- 
ington, in  proof  of  the  claim  of  Mrs.  Sarah  Reynolds,  formerly 
the  widow  of  Philip  Follitt,  to  a  pension  under  the  law  of  July 
4,  1836. 

We  the  subscribers,  officers,  as  well  as  seamen,  belonging  to  the 
ship  Boston,  commanded  by  Samuel  Tucker,  Esq.,  have  appointed 
Major  Richard  Reed  to  be  our  agent  for  us,  for  the  intended  voyage, 
to  receive  severally  v\\  prizes,  vessels,  goods,  merchandises  of  any 
kind  whatsoever  that  shall  be  taken  by  said  ship  during  her 
voyage  and  sent  into  any  port  or  ports  in  North  America,  to 
receive  the  shares  severally  belonging  to  us  into  your  hands,  for 
our  account,  and  to  receive  of  any  agent  or  agents  appointed  by 
the  United  or  Continental  States  of  America,  all  sums  of  money, 
goods,  &c.,  that  he  or  they  shall  have  in  their  hands,  and  you  are 


APPENDIX. 


339 


ordered  to  give  receipts  in  our  names,-  and  for  our  accounts,  and 
receive  the  same.     Dated,  Marblehead,  January  7,  1778. 


Benjamin  Reed. 
Philip  Mohycs. 
Joseph  Proctor,  for  son. 
Richard  Ilorton.  Midshipman. 
Joshua  Goss,  Midshipman. 
Thomas  Brimblecom,  Jr.,  boy. 
Andrew  Richardson, 
(seems  erasedj  Male. 
John  Fowler. 

his 

Thomas  Colley.X       . 

mark. 

John  Main. 

Benjamin  Tucker,  First  Mate. 

John  Vickory,  Mate. 

Philip  Follitt.  Midshipman. 

James  Quilty,  Ship's  Cook. 

John  Goss,  boy. 

William  Goss,  Ship's  Pilot. 

William  Goss,  Jr.,  boy. 


Jacob  Tucker,  Jr.,  boy. 
George  Snowden,  Mate. 
EliasBowden,  Jr.,  Quartermaster. 
Jacob  Tucker,  Quartermaster* 
Philip  Mohycs,       "  " 

Richard  Webber,  boy. 
Samuel  Gatchell,  bo_y. 
John  Davis,  Boatswain's  Mate. 
John  Fox,  "  " 

Aaron  (illegible),  Captain  taken. 
Jeremiah  Mahoney,  Chief  Boat- 
swain's Mate. 
William  Robarts. 
Henry  Peyton,  Mate. 
Nathaniel  Pearce,  Purser. 
Nathaniel  Pearce,  Jr.,  boy. 
John  Pearce,  the  5th  boy. 
Thomas  Brimblecom. 
James  Harris,  boy  of  Goss. 


ESSEX,  ss.     November  n,  1867. 

I  certify  that  the  above  is  a  true  copy  of  the  original  document 
which  was  forwarded  to  Washington  by  me,  years  ago,  in  support 
of  the  pension  claim  of  the  widow  of  Philip  Follitt,  one  of  the 
officers  named  in  said  document. 

Attest,  JAMES  GREGORY,  Justice  of  the  Peace- 


34° 


APPENDIX. 


Each  Share  of  Prize  Money- 

£    s.  d. 

Benjamin  Reed,     .     .     .     Lieutenant,      ......  244  18  - 

Benjamin  Tucker,      .     .     Master,        244  18  - 

Joshua  Goss,     ....     Midshipman,  ..*...  84  16  - 

Richard  Morton,  ...           "        84  16  - 

John  Vickory,  ....            "         84  16  - 

Nathaniel  Peirce,  .     .     .     Steward, 84  16  - 

James  Quilty,   ....     Cook, 84  16  - 

George  Snowden, 

Andrew  Richardson,      .     Seaman, 18  10  3 

Elias  Bowden,  ....           "         18  10  3 

Philip  Meheoy,      ...           "         18  10  3 

William  Goss Pilot, 

Jacob  Tucker,  Jr.,       .     .     Seaman,      .......  18  10  3 

John  Davis,  .     .     .     .     ;           "         18  10  3 

John  Peirce,      ....           "        18  10  3 

Nathaniel  Peirce,  Jr.,      .           "        18  10  3 

Thomas  Brimblecom,     .           "        18  10  3 

Joseph  Prockter,    ...           "        18  10  3 

Thomas  Colley,    ...          "        18  10  3 

John  Flower,     ....           " 18  10  3 

John  Rooseau, ....           " 18  10  3 

James  Harris,   ....           "        18  10  3 

John  Main, "        18  10  3 

Richard  Webber,  ...           " 18  10  3 

Jacob  Tucker,   ....           "        18  10  3 

John  Goss, "        18  10  3 

By  Sundry  Goods  Received. 

£      s.  d. 

16  Barrels  flour,  £40  is.  9d., 524    5  n 

21  Bags  of  bread,  £21  35.  i2d., 295  I  5 

3  Firkins  butter,  229  Ibs.  tare  45  Ibs.  =  184  Ibs.  at  6s.,  55  4  - 

I  Hogshead  of  peas  sold  at  auction, 17  o  - 

7  Barrels  of  pork,  at  £25,  . 175  -  - 

it  Half  barrels  pork, 137  16    - 


APPENDIX.  341 


Account  of  Men  who  'were  Taken  and  Died  during  the  Voyage 
Ship  Boston,  1778. 

Benjamin  Reed,  Lieutenant. 

Philip  Mohycs,  Quartermaster,  died  at  Halifax  jail. 

Jacob  Proctor,  Jr.,  taken  in  ship  Martha;  carried  to  Halifax  jail. 

Richard  Morton,  Midshipman,  taken;  carried  to  Halifax  jail. 

Joshua  Goss,  Midshipman,  taken;  now  in  jail  in  Fortune  prison. 

Thomas  Brimblecom,  taken  with  Mr.  Goss;  never  returned. 

Andrew  Richard,  Seaman. 

John  Vickory,  Ship's  Mate. 

Philip  Follior,  Midshipman,  taken;  put  in  Halifax  jail;  died  of 
small-pox. 

James  Quilty.  • 

William  Goss,  Ship's  Pilot,  taken,  and  entered  on  board  man  of 
war  in  Halifax. 

John  Goss,  boy,  taken. 

William  Goss,  boy. 

Jacob  Tucker,  boy,  taken,  and  never  returned. 

George  Snowden,  paid  bv  Mr.  Johnott;  owed  £6. 

Elias  Bowden,  Quartermaster,  died  at  Rensford  Island;  came 
from  Halifax  jail. 

Richard  Webber,  boy,  taken  in  ship  Martha;  on  board  man  of 
war. 

Henry  Peyton,  runaway;  left  ship  in  France. 

Nathaniel  Peirce,  Purser. 

Nathaniel  Peirce,  Jr.,  boy. 

John  Peirce,  5th  boy. 

James  Harris,  boy. 

John  Roseau,  boy,  belonging  to  Lieutenant  Reed ;  went  on  board 
in  France. 


342  APPENDIX. 

Page  95. 
To  ALL  FRIENDS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA. 

W/tereas,  We  the  subscribers,  marines,  belonging  to  the  ship 
Boston,  under  the  command  of  Samuel  Tucker.  Esq.,  have  ab- 
sented ourselves  from  said  ship  for  sometime  past;  we  now  declare 
to  all  the  world,  that  it  was  not  on  any  account  we  accused  any 
officers  on  board,  as  has  been  reported,  injurious  to  their  char- 
acters, particularly  Mr.  Reed  and  Mr.  Bates.  And  we  declare  that 
we  have  had  while  on  board  more  indulgence  than  the  Americans 
themselves,  and  that  we  are  willing  to  continue  on  board  as 
marines,  and  consent  to  be  governed  according  to  tli3  regulations 
made  and  provided  by  the  Honorable  Continental  Congress  for 
the  Naval  Department,  and  promise  to  behave  ourselves  as  faith- 
ful subjects  to  the  American  States;  and  to  continue  on  board 
until  we  arrive  at  Boston,  and  there  to  be  discharged. 

In  witness  whereof  we  sign  our  names,  on  board  the  Boston, 
July  14,  1778. 

N'ayant  porte  aucune  plainte  au  General  Fayard. 

DELHORN. 

.  BRUMONT. 

f-  CANET. 

RATEAU. 
COLOMBY. 
DAZEMAR. 
Page  1 20. 

From  a  muster  roll  of  officers,  seamen,  and  marines,  belonging 
to  the  Frigate  Boston,  Samuel  Tucker,  commander.  The  wages 
and  minutes  on  the  same  are  here  omitted. 

No.  Men's  Names.  Stations.  Time  of  Entry. 

1.  Samuel  Tucker,    .     Commander,        .     .  October  28,  1778. 

2.  David  Phips,    .     .     1st  Lieutenant,    .     .  February  20,  1779. 

3.  Hezekiah  Welch, .     2d  "          ...  October  28. 

4.  Benjamin  Bates,   -3d  "          ...  October  28. 

5.  William  Pearson, .     Master,       ....  December  3. 


APPENDIX. 


343 


No.          Men's  Names. 

Stations. 

6.  Seth  Baxter,     .     . 

Captain  Marines,     . 

7.  Jeremiah  Reed,     . 

ist  Lieut.     "        .     . 

8.  William  Cooper,  . 

2d       "          "        .     . 

9.  Thomas  Burns,     . 

Surgeon,     .     .     .     . 

10.  ^Villiam  Ash,   . 

Purser,   

ii.  Henry  Newhall,    . 

Carpenter  

12.  Benjamin  Balch,  . 

Chaplain,   .     .     .     . 

13.  Joseph  Lewis,  .     . 

Boatswain,       .     .     . 

14.  Abel  Wetherell,     . 

Gunner,      .     .     .     . 

15.  Isaac  Collins,   . 

ist  Mate,     .     .     .     . 

16.  Joshua  Giffbrd, 

2d      "         .     .     .     . 

17.  Seth  Pinkham, 

3d      " 

18.  Gideon  Bailey       . 

19.  Thomas  Blinn, 

Midshipman,  .     .     . 

20.  Thomas  LeMoyne, 

« 

21.  William  Day,   .     . 

u 

22.  Arthur  Dunn,  .     . 

ii 

23.  Frederic  Noodle,  . 

ti 

24.  Hezh.  Welch,   .     . 

«i 

25.  Edward  Cades, 

<( 

26.  David  Bell,  .     .     . 

Captain's  Clerk,  .     . 

27.  Isaac  Bangs,     .     . 

Doctor's  Mate,     .     . 

28.  Edward  Rice,  .     . 

Ship  Steward,      .     . 

29.  Isaac  Collins,  .     . 

Sailmaker,       .     .     . 

30  Joseph  Hooton      . 

.Whole  number  was  287. 

Time  of  Entry. 
February  17,  1779* 
December  3. 
March  28,  1779- 
December  10,  1778 
October  28,  1779. 
December  26. 
October  28,  1778- 
October  28. 
October  28. 
December  3. 
December  27. 
December  8. 
December  16,  1778 
December  8. 
December  28. 
January  16,  1779- 
January  i. 
December  16,  1778 
October  28. 
December  13. 
December  13. 
March  8,  1779. 
December  8,  1778. 
March  3,  1779. 
December  4,  1778. 


344 


APPENDIX. 


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APPENDIX. 


355 


356  APPENDIX. 

Page  106. 

BOSTON,  2ist  Sept.,  1779. 

%  GENTLKMEX  :  This  will  be  forwarded  you  by  Mr.  Win.  Ashe,  my 
purser,  who  will  acquaint  you  of  my  safe  arrival.  He  has  mine 
and  Colonel  Wm.  Lee's  orders  to  receive  all  the  moneys  that  may 
or  are  due  to  my  ship's  company  from  the  different  prizes  sent  in 
your  port.  I  doubt  not,  gentlemen,  of  your  exertion  in  regard  of  a 
speedy  settlement,  as  my  ship's  company  is  v^ry  impatient  for  the 
settlement.  Gentlemen,  I  expect  to  receive  one  half  part  of  all 
prizes  captured  in  companies  by  the  Deane  and  Confederacy. 
However,  Mr.  Ashe  will  settle  everything  relative  thereto,  as  well 
as  if  I  were  personally  present,  agreeable  to  the  orders  given  him, 
by  the  agents  and  myself. 

I  have  taken  thirteen  prizes  since  I  left  Boston,  but  the  richest 
is  retaken,  cargo  dry  goods,  and  provisions;  likewise  the  privateer 
brig  Enterprize.  I  expect  to  sail  in  six  weeks,  and  shall  value  all 
my  prizes  on  you,  that  may  be  sent  to  the  South.  Colonel  Wil- 
liam Lee's  orders,  I  hope,  will  be  duly  honored,  as  he  is  the  ship's 
company's  sole  agent,  and  this  letter  will  indemnity  you  in  com- 
pliance therewith. 

I  remain,  gentlemen,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

SAMUEL  TUCKER. 

HON.  NAVY  BOARD,  PHILADELPHIA. 

Page  115. 

A  law  to  establish  and  equalize  the  grade  of  officers  in  the 
navy  was  passed  by  a  late  Congress,  and  was  approved  by  the 
President,  July  16,  1862.  It  creates  nine  grades  of  officers,  namely, 
1st.  Rear  Admirals.  2d.  Commodores.  3d.  Captains.  4th.  Com- 
manders. 5th.  Lieutenant-Commanders.  6th.  Lieutenants.  7th. 
Masters.  8th.  Ensigns,  .gth.  Midshipmen.  The  first  are  to  have 
equal  rank  with  Major-Generals  in  the  arm}',  the  second,  with 
Brigadier-Generals,  the  third,  with  Colonels,  the  fourth,  with 
Lieutenant-Colonels,  the  fifth,  with  Majors,  the  sixth,  with 


APPENDIX.  357 

Captains,  the  seventh,  with  First  Lieutenants,  and  the  eighth, 
with  Second  Lieutenants.  Under  this  law,  the  President  commis- 
sioned, Wednesday,  July  31,  1862,  nine  Captains  of  the  navy  to  be 
Rear-Admirals,  on  the  retired  list,  and  four  on  the  active  list. 

The  retired  list  contains,  Charles  Stewart,  George  C.  Read, 
William  W.  Shubrick,  Joseph  Smith,  George  W.  Storer,  Francis 
D.  Gregory,  Silas  II.  Stringham,  Hiram  Paulding,  Eli  A.  F. 
Lnvallette.  Several  of  whom  have  since  deceased.  Those  on  the 
active  list,  were  David  C.  Farragut,  L.  M.  Goldsborough,  Samuel 
F.  Du  Pont,  and  Andrew  D.  Foote;  the  last  died,  June  26,  1863. 

In  the  law  of  1776,  among  other  officers,  Congress  fixed  on  the 
grade  of  Commodore  as  a  Brigadier-General;  but  a  commission 
as  Commodore  was  not  issued. 

See  the  N.  E.  Historical  and  Genealogical  Register  (Vol.  XVII. 
p.  147)  for  year  1863,  when  it  was  edited  by  John  W.  Deane,  Esq. 

Since  the  above,  a  law  was  passed  December  21,  1864,  in  which 
it  is  enacted,  "  That  the  President  of  the  United  States  be,  and  he 
is  hereby  authorized  and  empowered,  by  and  with  the  advice  and 
consent  of  the  Senate,  to  appoint  one  Vice- Admiral,  who  shall  be 
selected  from  the  lis-t  of  active  Rear-Admirals,  and  who  shall  be 
the  ranking  officer  in  the  navy  of  the  United  States,  and  whose 
relative  rank  with  officers  of  the  army  shall  be  that  of  Lieutenant- 
General  in  the  army." 

And  July  25,  1865,  another  act  was  passed  by  Congress,  pro- 
viding that  the  number  allowed  in  each  grade  of  line  officers,  on 
the  active  list  of  the  navy,  shall  be  one  Admiral,  one  Vice- Admiral, 
ten  Rear- Admirals,  twenty-five  Commodores,  fifty  Captains,  ninety 
Commanders,  one  hundred  and  eighty  Lieutenant-Commanders, 
one  hundred  and  sixty  Masters,  one  hundred  and  sixty  Ensigns, 
and  in  other  grades  the  number  now  allowed  by  law.  Provided, 
&c.  See  Laws  of  the  United  States,  twenty-ninth  Congress. 


358  APPENDIX. 

Page  146. 
THE  BOSTON.  —  There  were  three  armed  ships  of  this  name. 

1.  The  frigate  commanded  bj  Commodore  Tucker,  of  twenty- 
four  guns,  and  surrendered  to  the  British,  at  the  capitulation  of 
Charleston,  South  Carolina. 

2.  The  United  States  Frigate  Boston,  seven  hundred  tons,  and 
thirty-two  guns,  built  in  1799,  by  a  subscription  of  the  patriotic 
merchants    of    Boston,    and    loaned    to    the   government.     John 
Adams  was  then  President,  and  war  with  France  was  apprehended 
in  consequence  of  outrages  on  our  commerce,  committed  by  her 
cruisers,  so  well  known  as  the.  French  Spoliations,  previous  to  1800, 
and  for  which,  though  1'ong  since  liquidated  and  settled  by  treaty, 
Congress  has  never  seen   fit  to  make  any  remuneration  to    our 
suffering  claimants. 

Soon  after  the  Boston  was  built  and  ready  for  sea,  President 
Adams  appointed  Captain  George  Little  her  commander.  July  24, 
1799,  she  sailed  on  her  cruise,  and  the  Ccntinel  pronounced  her 
"  one  of  the  handsomest  model  ships  in  the  world."  On  the  I2th 
of  October,  near  Hispaniola,  Captain  Little  encountered  the  French 
corvette  Le  Bercean,  and  after  a  sharp  action,  in  which  many 
persons  were  killed  or  wounded,  captured  her.  But  a  treaty  with 
France  having  been  previously  signed,  she  was  given  up  to  the 
French  consul  in  Boston.  The  subscription  amounted  to  $136,600, 
and  the  cost  of  our  frigate  to  $137.969.  She  was  burnt  at  Wash- 
ington, in  1814,  to  prevent  her  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  British, 
with  whom  we  were  then  at  war. 

3.  The  armed  ship  Boston,  of  seven  hundred  tons,  and  eighteen 
guns,  built  in  1828.     She  was  lost  under  the  command  of  George 
F.  Pearson,  in  a  squall,  at  night,  on  the  shore  of  Eleuthera,  W.  I., 
November  15, 1846. 

The  particulars  of  the  above  may  be  found  in  the  Army  and 
Navy  Journal,  of  January  19,  1867. 


APPENDIX. 


359 


Page  157. 

Dr.  SAMUEL  TUCKER,  Eso^,   to 

1780.  £.      s.     d. 
Nov.  14.    To  ^  of  the  Thorn's  outfits,  3d  cruise,      .     4,964    3     7! 

1781.  To  -^  of  half  the  balance  of  charges  on  the 

Jan'y.         Thorn's  prizes, 1,179  2  5^ 

To  sund.  per  In.  per  the  Aurora,      .     .     .  92.922  3  9 

To      "           "      per  the  Success,     .     .     .  23,026  5  o 

To      "            "      per  the  Sincerity,  .     .     .  62,540  6  3 
To  Hhd.  corn  per  the  Biddy,  3      £30  =   90  ) 
To  4"     molasses      "          47  gal.  12  =  564  >   6^ 

April  ro.  To  ^  of  the  Thorn's  outfits,  4th  cruise,    .     5,531  18  10 

£197,817  19  ii] 
Balance  due  to  Samuel  Tucker,  Esq.,    .     .     .        414  16    8} 

£198,232  16    74 

To  WILLIAM  R.  LEE  &  Co.,  Agents  to  the  Thorn.        Cr. 
1780.  £.       s.     d. 

June.      By  balance  per  adjustment, 2,487  16    7! 

Nov.  14.    By  sundry  supplies  per  bill  for  the  Thorn, 

3d  cruise, 3*870    -    - 

By  ^g  the  balance  of  damaged  beef,  &c., 

sold,  and  powder  carried  to  4th  cruise,          220  10    7| 
1781,  Jan.  By  -^  of  the  owners' part  of  sundry  prizes, 
&c.,  sold  at  auction  as   per  acct.  Col. 

Ingersol's  accts.  of  sales, 7*893     i     9 

By  ^  of  half  the  amount  of  the  Aurora's 

cargo, 98,890     i     5! 

By  re  of  half  the  am't  of  the  Success'  carg.,  22,933  I9  3^ 
By  j^  of  half  am't  of  the  Sincerity's  carg.,  57,328  16  loj 
By  -j*£  of  half  of  the  amount  of  the  Biddy's 

cargo, 1,401     3  ii 

April.     By  his  acct.  supplies,  &c.,  for  the  Thorn,      3,207    6    - 

£198,232  16    74 
MARBLEHEAD,  April  10,  1781. 

Errors  excepted, 

WM.  R.  LEE,  &  Co. 


360  APPENDIX. 

Page  157. 

Invoice  of  sundry  goods  delivered  Samuel  Tucker,  Esq.,  out  of 

the  sloop   Maria,  snow  Fly,  and  ship  Elizabeth,  captured  by  the 

Thorn,  5th  cruise,  viz. :  — 

1781.  £.     s.     d. 

June.  2  Cases  gin  per  the  Maria,  at  485., 4  16  - 

i  "  brandy  per  " 28- 

i  Cask  white  wine  24,  2  out  Nt.  22  gall,  at  2s.,  .  24- 
i  Hhd.  rum  no,  5  out  Nt.  105  gall,  at  55.,  .  .  26  05  - 

3  Hhds.  molasses,  viz. : 

"9  5 
121  6 
109  6 

349  17,  i7outisNt.332gall.2s.4d.,      38  14    8 

4  Hhds  of  sugar,  viz  : 

15  oo 

15  3     7 

16  14 
15    o    4 

62    o    7 

Tare  12  pi.    6217  cwt.  55  i  18  Nt.  sugar  445.  121  18     i 

£  Cask  Madeira  wine,  wth  Mr.  Gerry,  27iNt.  35.  426 

18  Bohea  tea,  8s., 740 

4  Cask  rice,  with  Mr.  Gerry,  213  245.,  ...  2  14    7i 

3  Cases  gin  per  Elizabeth,  483., 74- 

i      "      brandy, 28- 

4  doz.  hose  245.,      .     .     .0120 
i  pr.       "  ....          30 

stz.,      15 

Advance  3  for  i  is  .     .       25  30- 

8  Bags  salt,  yielding  16  bushels,  95.,    ....  7  04    - 

20  bushels  salt  to  receive  of  Mr.  Lewis,  95.,  .     .  9    -    - 


Specie,   .     .    .  £239    2  10 


Exchange  75  is, £t7'935  J5 

Carried  to  his  Debit  in  acct.  current, 

Errors  excepted, 

WM.  R.  LEE  &  Co. 


APPENDIX.  361 

Page  1 66. 

Among  Commodore  Tucker's  papers  is  a  copy  of  the  following 
letter  to  him  from  some  one,  to  whom, -it  would  appear,  he  had 
done  some  generous  deed  :  — 

KIND  SIR:  After  the  unreserved  friendship  you  have  been 
pleased  to  honor  me  with,  mj-  mind  elicits  this  only  method  of 
acknowledging  fherefor :  and  as  I  am  convinced  it  flows  from  a  free 
indulgence,  notwithstanding  my  repeated  demerits,  permit  me  to 
assure  the  most  interested  friend,  and  I  may  justly  say  patron, 
that  my  ideas  are  too  full  to  admit  of  expressing  the  sincere  grati- 
tude which  overflows  my  soul;  and  as  the. kind  indulgent  proffer 
was  free,  and  solely  for  my  own  happiness,  my  heart  is  too 
sensible  of  its  influence,  to  decline  an  acceptance  of  it. 

I  am,  therefore,  your  grateful  servant,  with  filial  respect,  and 
through  every  reverse  of  capricious  fortune,  anxiously  solicitous 
to  corroborate  so  honorable  an  opinion,  as  nothing  less  than 
your  real  esteem  could  have  extorted.  ^ 

WILLIAM  JENNISON. 

MONDAY  MORNING,  January  17,  1780. 

Mr.  Jennison,  probably,  was  the  same  person  described  in  Bond's 
Genealogy  and  History  of  Watertown,  page  802.  "  William,  b. 
Aug.  4,  1757,  grad.  Harv.  Coll.  1774,  immediately  afterwards  com- 
menced the  study  of  law  with  Caleb  Strong,  and  pursued  it  until 
the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolutionary  war.  He,  with  his  brother 
Samuel,  then  enlisted  in  the  public  service.  ...  He  served  during 
the  whole  war,  was  at  one  time  paymaster  of  the  army,  at  another, 
a  lieutenant  of  marines,  and  was  United  States  pensioner  for  his 
services."  He  died  in  Boston,  December  24,  1843,  and  his  widow, 
Mary,  died  in  Boston,  April  n,  1853,  aged  90. 


362  APPENDIX. 

Page  227. 

BRISTOL,  February  24,  1816. 
THE  HONORABLE  BENJAMIN  BROWN, 


DEAR  SIR  :  I  take  this  opportunity  of  asking  the  favor  of  your 
attending  the  committee,  who  may  have  under  consideration  the 
application  I  now  forward  on  to  Congress,  well  supported  by 
various  gentlemen  of  high  respectability  ;  which  is  for  four  years' 
pay  and  subsistence.  That  I  conceive  is  my  due  for  Revolutionary 
services,  that  will  be  fully  mentioned  in  the  petition.  By  favoring 
me  with  your  attendance  on  the  committee,  in  my  mind,  will 
greatly  contribute  to  my  getting  remuneration  by  only  your 
saying  what  you  have  known  of  me  in  the  Revolution  and  after- 
wards. I  should  have  written  my  friend  Parris,  but  he  can  say 
nothing  of  me,  in  those  times.  Be  pleased  to  give  him  my  most 
respectful  compliments,  if  you  please.  You  can  mention  our  cruise 
in  1799,  on  the  coast  of  Virginia  and  Delaware,  when  we  prevented 
the  two  British  frigates  from  destroying  the  army's  clothing, 
coming  from  St.  Eustatia,  and  bound  to  Philadelphia,  under  the 
command  of  Captain  Barry,  and  the  taking  of  the  Pool  frigate, 
ii'/n'cA  iv  as  sent  out  of  New  York  for  the  express  purpose  of  taking 
me  ;  and  note  the  French  ship  Severn,  which  we  took;  that  cruise 
has  never  yet  been  settled  for,  nor  our  crew  received  the  least 
compensation  for  that  prize. 

I  am,  with  respect  and  esteem,  yours,  &c., 

SAMUEL  TUCKER. 
HON.  B.  BROWN. 

Page  240. 

WASHINGTON,  January  29,  1821. 

MY  DEAR  COMMODORE  :  You  do  not  forget  your  friends,  and 
your  friends  will  not  forget  you. 

Soon  after  you  left  here  I  applied  to  the  War  Department  to 
know  how  those  fared  who  were  in  service  at  the  peace  of  '83,  and 
how  many  officers  had  received  pensions.  This  information  I  laid 


APPENDIX.  363 

before  the  committee  at  another  hearing  I  obtained.  Soon  after 
this,  the  committee  of  the  Senate  brought  in  a  bill,  which  is  to  be 
taken  up  in  a  day  or  two,  and  we  are  waiting  to  see  its  fate, 
because  we  think  a  bill  of  this  kind  is  more  likely  to  pass  the 
Senate  than  the  House.  This  contemplates  giving  you  half  pay 
as  a  captain  from  1818.  Messrs.  Holmes  and  Chandler  are 
doing  all  they. can  for  you,  besides  many  others,  as  well  as, 
Your  friend  and  humble  servant, 

MARK  LANGDON  HILL. 

P.  S.  Commodore  Tingey,  Porter,  and  others  called  to  see  you 
after  you  left.  They  thought  you  were  to  stay  some  time  in 
the  city. 

Page  246. 

WASHINGTON,  igth  June,  1820. 

DEAR  SIR:  The  prospect  of  doing  anything  for  you  this  session 
is  not  great.  The  House  is  very  mean  and  parsimonious  at  this 
time.  Mr.  Hill,  however,  and  myself,  will  attend  to  your  affair 
and  do  what  we  can. 

Maine  goes  hard,  as  the  Senate  have  loaded  the  Missouri  on  her. 
What  will  be  the  result  I  know  riot. 

Yours,  very  affectionately, 

J.  HOLMES. 

[N.  B.     Mr.  Holmes  was  in  the  Senate.] 

WASHINGTON,  22d  July,  1821. 

DEAR  SIR  :  There  has  been  a  hard  struggle  in  the  House  on 
your  bill.  They  have  amended  it  by  reducing  the  pension  to 
twenty  dollars  per  month,  and  passed  it  by  a  majority  of  TWO  only. 
As  the  pay  commences  in  1818,  we  shall  concur  in  the  amendment. 
I  congratulate  you  even  for  this  trifle. 

Most  affectionately, 

J.  HOLMES. 


364  APPENDIX. 

WASHINGTON,  23d  February,  1821. 

DEAR  SIR  :  This  day  your  relief  came  back  from  the  House 
amended,  reducing  your  pension  to  twenty  dollars  per  month.  It 
was  carried  in  the  House,  even  at  this  sum,  with  so  much  difficulty, 
and  so  small  a  majority,  that  we  did  not  dare  to  send  it  back  to 
them  again.  It,  however,  gives  four  or  five  hundred  dollars  to 
begin  with.  This  is  all  we  could  do.  In  haste. 

Your  humble  servant, 

JOHN  CHANDLER. 
COMMODORE  TUCKER. 

Page  197. 

NEW  YORK,  9th  June,  1787. 

SIR  :  After  your  departure  I  received  a  letter  written  in  this  city, 
and  exceedingly  regretted  that  I  had  not  the  pleasure  of  forming 
an  acquaintance  with  you. 

The  relation  of  whom  you  wrote  has  been  unfortunate,  but  I  am 
persuaded  not  guilty.  Her  conduct  for  three  years  has  been  more 
than  irreproachable,  it  has  been  highly  commendable.  Mrs. 
Knox  is  strongly  attached  to  her,  and  I  shall  feel  a  satisfaction  in 
promoting  her  welfare. 

If  you  should  again  come  to  this  cit}',  be  pleased  to  inform  me 

of  it. 

I  am,  sir,  with  esteem  and  respect, 

Your  most  obedient,  humble  servant, 

H.  KNOX. 
CAPTAIN  SAMUEL  TUCKER. 

NEW  YORK,  6th  June,  1787. 

SIR:  It  has  been  uppermost  in  my  breast  since  I  came  to  this 
city  to  have  paid  you  my  personal  respects  for  the  esteem  I  have 
for  3'our  private  character,  confirmed  by  your  public  patriotism 
and  reputation;  both  which  strongly  combine,  and  point  out  the 
propriety  of  this  attention ;  but  when  you  reflect  on  a  domestic 
misfortune,  I  am  sure  that  your  consideration  will  make  every 
allowance  for  the  omission. 


APPENDIX.  365 

With  sincerity  and  gratitude  to  you  and  your  good  lady  for 
your  patronage  and  humanity  to  a  relative  of  mine, 

•    I  am,  sir,  with  sentiments  of  regard,  your  respectful, 

Most  obedient,  and  very  humble  servant, 

SAMUEL  TUCKER. 
GENERAL  H.  KNOX. 

Pdge  107. 
MEMORANDUM  AMONG  COMMODORE  TUCKER'S  PAPERS. 

Small  piece  of  log  book,  where  the  crew  of  the  Boston  are  enu- 
merated, July  19,  1779,  viz.,  number  of  men  and  boys  182. 

Account  of  gunner's  stores,  &c. ,  of  the  Boston,  to  wit. :  — 
1779,  April  30,    i  nine   pounder   to  bring  to  a  Sloop. 

"  "          i  six  "  "  a  Schooner. 

"       May   r.    i  six  "  "  a  Brigantine. 

"          "      2.    i  nine  and  i  six  "  a  Brig. 

"          "      6.  "  "  "  a  Brig. 

"          "    15.          "  "  "  a  Schooner. 

"     19.    2  nines,  2  fours,  "  Ship  and  Schooner. 

"          "    25.    i     "  "  "  a  Schooner. 

"      July  30.     "    "  "  Flying-Fish. 

"      August,     i  nine  pounder  "  Ship  Thorn. 

There  is  also  a  letter  of  June  24,  1832,  from  Ebenezer  Mayo  to 
Captain  Tucker,  wherein  he  says,  "  William  Stevens  was  with 
Tucker  when  he  captured  the  ship  Thorn." 

There  is  also  a  broken  account  of  supplies,  stores,  &c.,  on  board 
of  the  Boston,  Joseph  Lewis,  boatswain,  and  a  list  of  men  and 
boys,  April  n,  1779,  168. 

Page  222. 

BATH,  March  30,  1819. 

DEAR  SIR  :  Mr.  Thompson,  a  political  friend,  will  hand  you 
this,  and  will  leave  with  you  some  papers ;  have  the  goodness  to 
distribute  them,  as  will  be  most  interesting  to  the  election  of  our 


366  APPENDIX. 

friend,  Judge  Hill,  in  particular.  His  election  is  considered  of 
importance  to  the  navigating  interest.  It  is  also  desirable  that  a 
man  who  has  been  so  uniformly  opposed  to  the  mercantile  interest, 
as  has  been  Mr.  Orr,  should  have  permission  to  remain  at  home. 
Contrary  to  mv  expectation,  and  every  wish  of  mine,  some  votes 
were  given  me  at  the  last  election,  in  November.  This  I  sincerely 
hope  will  not  be  repeated,  but  that  Judge  Hill,  as  he  certainly 
ought,  will  have  every  vote  in  the  district.  The  prospect  is  very 
favorable  of  the  election  of  Crowninshield  and  Austin.  Expecting 
a  very  good  account  of  the  present  year  from  your  town, 
I  remain,  sir,  you  humble  servant, 

W.  KING. 
COMMODORE  SAMUEL  TUCKER,  Bristol. 

Page  247. 

BRISTOL,  March  12,  1816. 

These  may  certify  to  whom  it  may  concern,  that  Joseph 
Wilkinson,  a  native  of  Great  Britain,  and  the  bearer  of  this,  was 
with  me  under  my  command  on  board  the  Boston  frigate,  in  the 
vear  of  1778;  and  while  in  France,  on  the  latter  end  of  April,  by 
accident  fell  from  the  lower  deck  into  the  hold  and  broke  his 
thigh.  This  accident  happened  in  righting  the  ship  after  being 
hove  down.  I  sent  him  to  a  hospital  in  Bordeaux,  wherein  he 
continued  with  his  wound  for  nearly  two  months,  when  he  came 
on  board  the  ship,  and  went  to  his  duty  as  before,  although  he 
appeared  to  be  much  injured  by  the  wound.  He  acted  as  ship's 
corporal  the  nine  months  he  was  under  my  command,  and  alwavs 
behaved  himself,  in  every  respect,  a  faithful  citizen  and  good 
soldier  to  the  United  States  of  America. 

SAMUEL  TUCKER. 

This  attested  before  a  Justice  of  the  Peace,  March  13,  1816. 


APPE.NDIX.  367 

Page  247. 

ST.  JOHN,  May  i,  1823. 
CAPTAIN  SAMUEL  TUCKER. 

SIR  :  I,  the  writer  of  this,  am  a  young  man,  a  native  of  Greenock, 
in  Scotland,  who,  having  business  that  called  me  to. St.  John, 
N.  B.,  and  which  may  detain  me  here  for  two  years  to  come,  and 
hearing  of  your  being  of  the  same  name  and  from  the  same  part 
of  the  States,  and  a  person  perfectly  able  to  give  me  correct 
information,  I  have  been  induced  to  trouble  you  with  a  few 
inquiries  regarding  my  grandfather's  relations.  I  am  the  grand- 
son of  Captain  Joseph  Tucker,  who  died  about  forty  years  ago  at 
Greenock,  but  who  was  born  in  or  near  Boston,  from  about  the 
years  1740  to  1750.  lie  went  home  to  Scotland,  and  fell  heir  to  his 
uncle,  Captain  Richard  Tucker,  who  died  there  possessed  of  con- 
siderable property.  My  grandfather  left  behind  him  in  America 
two  sisters,  Sarah  and  Dorcas,  and  several  brothers.  He  himself 
died  when  about  forty  years  of  age,  leaving  four  daughters,  Jane, 
and  Sarah  (who  is  my  mother),  and  Dorcas,  and  Catharine,  who 
were  all  alive  at  the  time  of  their  father's  death,  so  very  young  that 
the  correspondence  that  had  existed  betwixt  their  father  and  his 
relations  ceased  then;  nor  have  ever  since  heard  anything  of  them. 
Now,  to  trace  out  and  recommence  that  correspondence  betwixt 
the  families  is  the  sole  motive  for  asking  you  for  further  informa- 
tion respecting  them.  If,  therefore,  you  know  anything  of  them, 
or  can  set  me  in  the  way  to  find  them  out  before  I  return  to  Scot- 
land, you  will  confer  a  lasting  obligation  on, 

Your  very  obedient  servant, 

JOSEPH  H.  RITCHIE. 

P.  S.  Whether  or  not  you  can  give  me  any  information,  please 
own  receipt  of  this  at  your  earliest  convenience,  to  prevent  my 
troubling  you  again.  Please  address, 

MR.  J.  H.  RITCHIE, 
CARE,  ROBERT  RANKIN, 
ST.  JOHN,  N.  B. 
CAPTAIN  SAMUEL  TUCKER. 


368  APPENDIX. 

Page  247. 
A  List  of  Nathaniel  Appleton  Notes  loaned  to  D.  C. 

$.  No.  £.  s. 

1000 202  ........  7  10 

1000 201 7  10 

looo 200 7  10 

1000 204 7  10 

looo 203 7  10 

1000 209 7  10 

looo 208 7  10 

looo 207 7  10 

looo 206 7  10 

looo 205 7  10 

200 11,421 i  10 

looo 198 7  10 

looo 199 7  10 

looo 197 7  10 

looo 196 7  10 

looo 213 7  10 

1000 212 7    10 

1000 211 7    IO 

IOOO 2IO 7    IO 

£136  10 

The  above  notes  belong  to  Captain  Samuel  Tucker,  Esq.,  lent 
to  David  Cook. 
The  interest  paid  up  to  '82. 

$54 
$68i 

$123 
November  23,  1785,  BOSTON. 


APPENDIX.  369 

Page  242. 

A  song  was  written  by  a  citizen  of  Bristol,  on  the  capture  of  the 
Crown  by  Tucker.  The  following  is  a  copy,  and  is  here  introduced, 
more  as  a  specimen  of  the  spirit  of  the  times,  than  of  the  beauty 
of  the  poetry,  although  it  may  compare,  not  very  distantly,  to 
some  of  the  old  English  ballads. 


On  the  26th  of  April,  it  plainly  doth  appear, 

The  brave  boys  of  Bristol  fitted  out  a  privateer, 

In  command  of  Captain  Tucker  —  a  sloop  both  neat  and  trim, 

And  we  set  out  to  cruise  the  seas,  all  for  to  take  the  Bream. 

CHORUS. 

So  cheer  up,  my  lively  lads,  and  never  be  it  said, 
That  the  brave  boys  of  Bristol  were  ever  yet  afraid. 


We  cruised  the  shores  for  several  days,  and  nothing  did  appear; 
At  length  our  brave  commander  resolved  to  homeward  steer; 
It  was  on  Friday  morning,  and  clear  was  the  sky, 
And  as  we  were  returning  a  sail  we  did  espy! 

CHORUS. 
So  cheer  up,  my  lively  lads,  &c. 

in. 

Then  rose  our  bold  commander,  and  to  his  men  did  say. 
'•  My  boys,  be  all  stout-hearted,  and  do  not  fail  to-day; 
Our  enemy  's  before  us,  and  after  her  we'll  run, 
For  I'm  resolved  to  take  her  before  the  setting  sun  !  " 

CHORUS. 

So  cheer  up,  my  lively  lads,  &c. 
24 


370  APPENDIX. 


Then  we  bore  away  for  her,  and  up  to  her  did  come; 

We  hauled  down  our  foresail  and  gave  her  a  gun ; 

'Twas  broadside  and  broadside  we  showed  her  Yankee  play, 

'Till  our  enemy  got  frightened  and  tried  to  run  away. 

CHORUS. 

So  cheer  up,  my  brave  lads,  &c. 

v. 

Then  they  quit  their  quarters,  and  down  below  they  run; 
We  shot  away  their  halliards,  and  down  their  colors  come. 
Their  captain  he  stepped  forward,  and  waving  his  hand, 
He  cried,  "  I  must  surrender  :  this  I  can  no  longer  stand  !  " 

CHORUS. 
So  cheer  up,  my  lively  lads,  &c. 


Then  we  hoisted  out  our  boats,  on  board  of  her  did  go; 
We  made  them  all  prisoners,  and  ordered  them  below; 
We  hoisted  Yankee  colors,  and  hauled  the  British  down, 
And  when  we  did  examine  her  she  proved  to  be  the  •'  Crotvn." 

CHORUS. 
So  cheer  up,  my  lively  lads,  &c. 

VII. 
"  Now,"   says   our  brave  commander,   "  we'll  bring  our  prize 

ashore, 

For  we're  the  boys  that  fear  no  noise,  though  cannons  loudly  roar ; 
And  quickly  we  will  clear  the  coast  of  all  these  British  boys, 
For  we  will  fight  'em  till  we  die,  and  never  mind  their  noise." 

CHORUS. 
So  cheer  up,  my  lively  lads,  &c. 


APPENDIX. 


Now  we  have  fought  this  privateer  'till  she  is  overcome; 
And  God  bless  Captain  Tucker  this  day  for  what  he's  done, 
Likewise  his  officers,  and  all  his  jovial  crew,  — 
God  grant  that  they  may  prosper  in  everthing  they  do. 

CHORUS. 
So  cheer  up,  my  lively  lads,  &c. 

Page  249. 

An  anecdote  is  related  of  Commodore  Tucker  in  the  "  Sketches 
of  the  History  of  the  Town  of  Camden,"  Maine,  by  John  L.  Locke, 
1859,  page  45.  It  was  recently  pointed  out  to  the  author,  and  in 
substance  is  as  follows  :  — 

Captain  Tucker,  in  one  of  his  earliest  cruises,  was  sailing  neat 
Blue  Hill,  in  Maine,  and  came  across  an  English  East-Indiaman, 
with  a  rich  cargo,  bound  from  Halifax  to  Bagaduce,  which  he 
captured.  The  news  reached  Captain  Mowatt,  of  such  infamous 
notoriety  for  the  burning  of  Falmouth,  and  he  immediately  went 
in  pursuit  of  Tucker,  who.  seeing  his  approach,  took  on  board,  out 
of  one  of  the  fishing  boats,  a  well  known  pilot,  Robert  Thorndike, 
of  Camclcn.  By  his  aid  he  was  piloted  along  the  shore,  closely 
pursued  by  Mowatt,  to  New  Meadows,  now  Harpswell;  there, 
among  the  ledges  and  breakers  he  lay  secure,  until  one  dark, 
foggy  night  he  weighed  anchor,  and  by  this  skilful  pilot  was 
guided  through  the  secret  channels  and  numerous  islands  of 
Casco  Bay,  into  the  open  sea,  where,  beyond  the  reach  of  the 
enemy,  he  escaped. 

Pages  48  and  51. 

The  frigate  Hancock,  thirty-two  guns,  said  to  have  been  built 
in  Boston,  was  captured  about  the  ist  of  June,  1777,  by  Sir 
George  Collier,  in  the  Rainbow,  forty-four  —  according  to  the 
statements  in  Cooper's  Naval  History,  and  in  the  United  States 
Navy,  from  1775  to  1833,  and  other  authorities.  There  seems  to 


372  APPENDIX. 

be  a  discrepancy  between  this  account  and  the  extract  from  the 
Boston  Gazette,' of  May  4,  1778,  in  which  it  is  said,  "  Tuesday  last, 
ship  Hancock,  thirty-six  guns,  launched  at  Salisbury." 

As  there  does  not  appear  to  have  been  another  frigate  of  this 
name  ordered  to  be  built  by  Congress  and  equipped  for  sea,  per- 
haps, if  not  an  error  of  the  press,  the  vessel  launched  in  Salisbury 
might  have  been  at  first  called  the  Hancock,  and  her  name  after- 
wards changed. 

A  few  chronological  dates,  appertaining  principally  to  the  build- 
ing of  vessels  for  the  merchant  service,  and  for  defence  of  the 
country  at  an  early  period  of  our  history,  may  be  interesting  to  the 
curious  reader.  They  have  been  gleaned  from  various  authentic 
sources. 

1608.  The  first  vessel  built  in  New  England,  if  not  in  the 
Colonial  States,  was  the  Virginia,  said  to  be  thirty  tons,  at 
Sagadahock,  by  the  Popham  colonists.  They  were  conveyed 
home  to  England  the  same  year  in  this  vessel. 

1614.  Mr.  Cooper  states  in  his  Naval  History,  that  the  first 
decked  vessel  built  in  the  Colonial  States  was  constructed  by 
Adrian  Block,  on  the  banks  of  the  Hudson,  in  1614.  She  was 
called  a  yacJit,  thirty-eight  feet  keel,  forty-four  and  a  half  feet  on 
deck,  and  eleven  feet  beam.  In  this,  Captain  Block  navigated 
Long  Island  Sound,  passing  through  Hell  Gate  to  Cape  Cod, 
and  discovered  Block  Island,  named  from  him. 

1632.  A  bark  of  thirty  tons  was  built  at  Mystic  (now  Medford), 
called    The  Blessing  of  the   Bay:    afterwards   converted    into   a 
cruiser  against  pirates  on  the  coast.     The  ways  on  which  she  was 
constructed,  it  is  said,  are,  or  were  recently,  in  existence. 

1633.  A  small  ship  was  built  in  Boston,  said  to  be  the  first  ship 
built  in  New  England. 

1641.  Hugh  Peters,  of  Salem,  built  a  vessel  of  three  hundred 
tons  burden. 

1642.  The  diving-bell  was  first   used   in   this  country  at  the 


APPENDIX.  373 

raising  of  the  ship  May  Rose,  of  Bristol,  sunk  1640,  in  Boston 
harbor. 

1645.  There  was  the  first  regular  naval  engagement  in  America. 
The  same  year  a  ship  was  built  in  Cambridge,  Mass.,  with  an 
armament  of  fourteen  guns  and  thirty  men. 

1646.  The  colony  of  New  Haven  built  a  ship  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  tons  in  Rhode  Island,  and  soon   after  a  cruiser  of  ten 
guns;  and  the  same  year  a  ship  of.  three  hundred  tons  was  built 
in  Boston. 

1671.  Sir  William  Phips  —  knighted  by  King  James  II.  "on  ac- 
count of  his  raising  the  immensely  rich  Spanish  wreck  near  the 
Bahamas,  from  which  he  brought  home  to  England  £300,000  — 
built  a  ship  in  Woolwich,  Maine. 

1678.  De  la  Salle  launched"  the  first  vessel  ever  built  on  the 
lakes,  —  a  first  decked  boat  of  ten  tons  on  Lake  Ontario;  and  the 
next  year  a  vessel  of  sixty  tons  was  launched  on  Lake  Erie. 

1680.  Connecticut  had  twenty-four  vessels,  making  ten  hundred 
and  fifty  tons  of  shipping. 

1690.  The  whale  fishery  was  established  at  Nantucket.  This 
year  the  Falkland,  a  fourth  rate,  —  seven  hundred  and  seventy-six 
tons,  forty-eight  guns, —  the  first  ship  of  the  line  ever  built  in 
America,  was  launched  on  the  Piscataqua. 

1696.  New  York  had  forty  square-rigged  vessels,  sixty-two 
sloops,  and  sixty  boats  in  employ. 

1701.  The  Newfoundland  fishermen  belonging  to  the  colonies 
numbered  one  hundred  and  twenty-one. 

1713.  The  first  schooner  ever  seen  was  built  at  Glouscester, 
Cape  Ann.  Mr.  Babson,  in  his  History  of  Gloucester,  informs  us, 
on  the  authority  of  Cotton  Tufts,  Esq.,  that  Andrew  Robinson,  of 
that  place,  constructed  a  vessel  which  he  masted  and  rigged  in  the 
same  manner  as  schooners  are  at  this  day.  On  her  going  off  the 
stocks,  and  passing  into  the  water,  a  bystander  cried  out,  "  O,  how 
she  scoons  I "  Robinson  instantly  replied,  "  A  schooner  let  her  be !  " 
And  this  kind  of  craft  has  ever  since  been  in  use. 

1714-1717.  Massachusetts  numbered  four  hundred  and  ninety- 
two  vessels  in  her  navigation. 


374  APPENDIX. 

1723.  Mr.  Drake,  in  his  History  of  Boston,  remarks,  "There 
were  built  in  New  England  above  seven  hundred  sail  of  ships  and 
other  vessels,  most  of  which  were  fitted  out  in  Boston." 

In  1800  there  were  a  million  tons  of  shipping  owned  in  the 
United  States,  though  before  1836  it  is  said  few  if  any  merchant- 
men much  exceeded  six  hundred  tons.  Such  was  the  beginning 
and  progress  of  our  commercial  navigation,  which  is  now  so  vast 
that  it  spreads  a  wing  on  every  sea  on  the  globe. 

Page  258. 

Vessels  of  war  in  the  Revolution,  compared  to  those  since  built, 
were  small,  and  their  guns  of  light  calibre.  The  frigate  Boston, 
built  in  1776,  was  said  to  be  less  than  five  hundred  tons,  and  the 
largest  frigates  constructed  in  1778  did  not  exceed  a  thousand. 
They  "  rarely  carried  in  their  main-deck  batteries,  guns  of  a 
metal  heavier  than  eighteen  pounders."  There  was  usually  no 
spar-deck.  Carronades  had  not  been  invented;  light  sixes,  nines, 
and  twelves  were  mostly  used. 

Larger  ships  were  ordered  to  be  built  by  Congress  in  1798.  The 
Constitution  —  in  which  Commodore  Preble,  with  his  squadron  of 
six  ships  and  a  few  gunboats  gained,  in  1804,  such  imperish- 
able renown  in  his  daring  attack  on  Tripoli,  and  which  forever 
put  an  end  to  Algerine  tribute  —  was  a  forty-four  gun  ship,  of 
fifteen  hundred  and  seventy-six  tons,  and  pierced  for  thirty  twenty- 
four  pounders  on  her  gun-deck.  The  United  States  frigate  was 
forty-four  guns,  and  fifteen  hundred  and  seventy-six  tons,  and  the 
Constellation  was  thirty-six  guns,  and  twelve  hundred  and  sixty- 
five  tons.  It  was  in  the  battle  and  capture  of  the  Insurgente,  1799, 
by  the  Constellation,  that  Commodore  Truxton  so  much  dis- 
tinguished himself.  His  frigate  first  used  carronades. 

In  the  last  war  with  England,  though  the  number  of  war  ships 
was  somewhat  increased,  they  were  not  built  of  greater  burden, 
nor  usually  armed  with  heavier  weight  of  metal.  But  they  were 
remarkably  successful,  and  gained  many  brilliant  victories. 


APPENDIX.  37^ 

Since  that  distant  period  an  entire  change  has  taken  place  in 
naval  armaments.  Sailing  frigates  have  become  mere  store  and 
hospital  ships.  Steam  frigates  have  superseded  them  throughout 
the  civilized  world  —  some  of  which  are  of  immense  tonnage,  such 
as  the  Niagara,  of  twelve  guns  and  forty-five  hundred  and  eighty 
tons.  Steam  frigates  have  been  multiplied  ;  but  the  new  invention 
of  IRON  WAR-CLADS,  which  did  such  terrible  execution  in  the  late. 
Rebellion,  has  changed  the  aspect  of  naval  warfare  in  all  time  to 
come. 

Shells  and  cannon  balls,  or  shot,  were  cast  of  great  size, 
compared  to  those  formerly  in  use.  Shot  were  fired  weighing 
four  hundred  and  eighty  pounds;  and  in  the  experiments  of  the 
engineers,  one  was  discharged  from  a  twenty  inch  gun  which 
weighed  ten  hundred  and  nine  pounds.  Shells  of  seven  hundred 
pounds  were  thrown  into  Charleston,  from  a  fifteen  inch  gun, 
which  required  forty  pounds  of  powder  for  each  discharge. 

It  should  be  remarked  that  the  largest  sailing  war  ship  in  the 
world  was  the  Pennsylvania,  built  in  1837,  of  thirty-two  hundred 
and  forty-one  tons,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty  guns ;  and  also 
that  the  first  steam  merchantmen,  and  first  steam  frigates,  as  well 
as  the  formidable  iron-clads,  originated  in  this  country. 


377 


INDEX. 


A. 

Adams,  John,  15,  16;  on  a  prize, 
45»  7T>  74'  8o>  81,  91,  101,  102, 
no,  172,  177,  183,  225,  231, 242, 
248,  264. 

Adams,  Samuel,  63,  167. 

Adams,  Thos.  B.,  214. 

Adventure,  snow,  319. 

AldsNvorth,  et  al.,  188. 

Algerine  corsairs,  and  escape, 
24. 

Alna,  205. 

American  archives,  49,  61. 

Andros,  Governor,  189. 

Anecdotes,  27,  28,  37,  81,  245, 
247,  249;  the  widow,  251,  271. 

Arabella,  brig,  60,  234. 

Arbuthnot,  Vice-Admiral,  128. 

Armed  ships  in  1778,  48. 

Army  in  Cambridge,  35. 

Ashlev  River,  126. 

Augusta,  207,  212. 

Avary,  Captain  of  Mermaid,  116. 

B. 

Bagaduce,  191. 
Bailey,  Jeremiah,  215. 


Bainbridge,  William,  90. 

Barnes,  John,  241. 

Barron,  William  T..  84,  85,  276, 

280. 

Barry.  John,  183. 
Barton,  Elijah,  et  al.,  206. 
Bay  of  Biscay,  90. 
Belcher,  Mary,  20. 
Belle  Isle,  291. 
Betterment  Act,  203. 
Beverly,  39. 
Biddle,  Captain,  51. 
Binney,  Captain  John,  217. 
Birth  of  Tucker,  and  education, 

19.  21. 

Boothbay,  214,  217. 
Bordeaux,  86.  88,  283. 
Boston,  28;  evacuated,  56. 
Boston,  frigate,  266;  three  war 

ships  of  this  name,  358. 
Boston  Gazette,  48,  99,  106,  119, 

152,  161,  172. 
Boston  Journal,  18. 
Boston  Weekly  Messenger,  239. 
Bream,  schooner,  216,  221. 
Bremen,  18,  196,  257. 
Brest,  90,  98,  99,  307. 
Bridge,  James,  Judge,  211. 
(377) 


373 


INDEX. 


Bristol,  185;  history  of,  192,  196, 
202.  205,  212,  214,  221 ;  scarci- 
ty, 224. 

Britannia,    Captain    Baker,    91, 

295- 

Broughton,  43. 

Brown,  B.,  Dr.,  84,  in,  168,  197, 
227,  240,  362. 

Brown,  John,  188,  202,  214. 

Buckingham,  J.  T.,  New  Eng- 
land Magazine,  198. 

Bull,  Dixy,  189. 

Byles,  Rev.  Dr.,  167. 

c. 

Camp  at  Cambridge,  41. 
Campbell,  Sir  Archibald,  60,  234. 
Captains,  rank  in  navy,  54,  356. 
Carey,  Matthew,  241. 
Caroline,  ship,  172. 
Cartel  ship.  142. 
Castine,  Baron  de,  191. 
C.  D.,  Major,  169,  247,  368. 
Census  of  troops,  41. 
Chadwick,  Paul,  206. 
Chandler,  John,  232,  364. 
Charles  II.,  :88. 
Charleston,  S.  C.,  126. 
Christmas  Cove,  186. 
Chubb,  Pasco,  Captain,  191. 
Church,  Benjamin,  Captain,  190. 
Clark,  Thomas,  65. 
Cleaveland,   Parker,    Professor, 

245- 

Clinton,  Sir  Henry,  126. 
Colonies,  condition  of,  in  1775, 

40. 


Commissions  in  Franklyn  and 

Boston,  31,  67. 
Commodore,  origin,  &c.,  53. 115, 

356. 

Confederacy,  ship,  106,  107,  171. 
Congress,  42,  49,  336.  374. 
Connecticut  vessels,  43. 
Convention,  Maine,  226. 
Cook,  Orchard,  227. 
Cooper  River,  S.  C.,  126,  i37v 
Cooper's  Naval  History,  15.  30, 

45,  65,  106,  372. 
Cordounn,  86,  281. 
Court  martial,  naval,  122. 
Crew  of  Boston,  97,  342,  344.  355. 
Crowninshield,  B.  W.,  15,  230. 

D. 

Dale,  Richard,  183. 
Damariscotta,  185,  186,  189.' 
Davis,  Daniel,  210. 
Davis,  John,  209. 
Dawson,  John,  183,  227. 
Deane,  frigate,  106;  cruises  with 

Boston,  in. 
Decatur,  90. 
Decnaso,  Due,  99. 
D'Iberville,  191. 
Dickens.  197. 
Distress   in   Charleston,   S.  C., 

138.    ' 

Diversions  of  officers  forbid,  336. 
Dolphin,  frigate,  121. 
Drowne,  Shem,    iS8,    202,    205, 

214. 

Duke  of  York,  202. 
Dunbar,  David,  Colonel,  192. 


INDEX. 


379 


E. 

lencairn.  ship,  106,  119. 
Eclipse  of"  the  sun,  91. 
Edgecomb,  214. 
Elba,  ship  of  war,  222. 
Elizabeth,  brig,  153,  155,  296. 
England  and  United  States  war, 

216. 

Enterprise,  ship,  116. 
Episcopal  church,  245. 
Everett,  Josiah,  description,  149. 
Express  to  Tucker,  37. 

F. 

Farley,  Joseph,  217. 

Father's  death,  26. 

Felt's  Annals  of  Salem,  47,  151. 

Fifty  Associates,  205. 

Flying-Fi>.h.  and  Tryall,  121. 

Fort  Charles,  189. 

Fort  Frederic,  192. 

Fort  Jackson,  127. 

Fort  Johnson,  137. 

Fort  Moultrie,  127,  137. 

Fort  St.  George,  Maine,  188. 

Fort  William  Henry,  191. 

Forty-seven  Frenchmen,  95. 

Franklin,  Benjamin,  95. 

Franklyn,  31,  39. 

Frazer,  Captain,  59. 

French  seamen's  certificate,  342. 

Frigate  Boston,  67,  121. 

Frontenac,  191. 

Fuller,  Judge,  211. 

•* 

G. 

Gage,  General,  52. 
Gardner,  John,  173. 


Garonne,  86,  88. 

Gatchell,  Mary,  25. 

Gatchell  Mills,  184, 

George,  ship,  234. 

Gerry,  Elbridge,    159,  212,  213, 

226. 
Glover,    Captain,    56,    64,    156, 

337- 
Groa,  291. 

H. 

Halifax,  221. 
Hallowell,  207, 

Hamilton,  Alexander,  179,  180. 

j  Hammond,  Sir  Andrew,  163, 164. 

Hancock  (three  of  this  name), 

48,  61. 
Harding,     Seth,    Captain,    106, 

169,  171,  232. 

Hidden,  Joseph,  Captain,  26. 
Hill,   Mark    L.,   230,   237,   239, 

Hind,  ship,  161. 

Hinds,  Benjamin,  Captain.  199. 

Hinds,  James,  Captain,  death, 
199. 

Hinds,  Mrs.  Mary,  254. 

Hinds,  Samuel,  T.,  17,  64,  165, 
199;  his  horsemanship,  fam- 
ily, 198,  199. 

Holmes,  John,  233,  363. 

Homans,  Benjamin,  229,  232. 

Hopkins,  Esek,  Commander,  51, 

52- 

Howell,  David,  215. 
Hubbard,  John,  Rev.,  201. 
Hunter,  John,  Rev.,  168. 
Hutchinson,  Governer,  166. 


38o 


INDEX. 


I. 

Incident  in  London,  28.  29. 
Increase,  schooner,  219. 
Independent   Ledger,    101,   116, 

132,  155.  162. 
Instructions,  32.  93. 
Invoice  of  prizes,  360. 
Irving's  Washington,  15. 
Isle  de  Dieu,  90,  291. 

J- 

Jackson,  Andrew,  254. 

James,  Duke  of  York,  188. 

James  Island,  S.  C.,  127. 

Jamestown,  193. 

Jefferson,  205. 

Jennings,  Richard,  Captain,  218, 

220.  221. 

Jennison,  William,  361. 
John  and  Rebecca,  90,  294. 
John's  Island,  S.  C.,  127. 
John's  River,  Maine,  186,  194. 
Jones,  Patfl,  Captain,  16,  90,  99, 

258. 

Jones,  William,  186. 
Johnson,  Fort,  destroyed,  137. 
Johnson,  John,  Professor,  245. 
Journals  of  Congress,  15. 
Junius,  253. 

K. 

Kemble,  Fanny,  197. 
Kennebec,  187,  202. 
Keppel,  Admiral,  99. 
King  Philip,  189. 
King.  William,  Major-General, 

222,  -226,  366. 

Knox,  Henry,  Gen.,  176, 197,364. 


L. 

Latuche,  95,  300.  • 

L'Croisie,  98. 

Lee,  Jeremiah.  27. 

Lee,  schooner,  28. 

Lee,  William  R.,  123,  157,  159, 

160.  166,  359,  360. 
Lincoln,     Major-General,     124, 

13°.  133- 

Lind,  Joseph,  151. 
Lisbon,  25. 

List  of  notes  lent  D.  C.,  368. 
Lithgow,  Arthur,  211. 
Livingston,  95,  289. 
Log-book,  262-327. 
London,  28. 
L'Orient,  90,  95,  307. 
Lossing,  Benson,  143. 
Lord  Hyde,  ship,  149,  152. 
Lord  Sandwich,  ship,  119. 
Louisburg,  22. 

M. 

Magee,  Lieutenant,  death,  69. 
Malcolm,  James,  213,  214. 
Manly,  John,  Captain,  28,  35,  36, 

44.  63.  64,  68,  90,  115,  258. 
Marblehead,  19. 
Marine  committee,  16. 
Marriage,  25. 
Marshall's  Washington,  15,  128, 

138-  MS- 

Martha,  Captain  of  the.  82,  274. 
Martindale  and  M'Cree,  63. 
Masonic  fraternity,  244. 
M'Cobb,  Denny,  253. 
M'Curdy,  Daniel,  184. 


INDEX. 


M'Farling,  Captain,  100. 
M'Intosh,  Captain,  101. 
M'Kown,  John,  194. 
M'Lcan,  Alexander,  Rev.,  186. 
M'Niel,  Hector,  68. 
Mellen,  Prentiss,  210. 
Memorandum,  365. 
Men  taken  or  died,  341. 
Mermaid,  vessel,  116. 
Merrick,  John,  210.  245. 
Mill-,  statistics,  137,  138. 
Monhegan,  187. 
Montgomery,  Alexander,  232. 
Morris,  John,  143. 
Morris,  Robert,  30. 
Morton,  Perez,  214. 
Mowatt,  Lieutenant,  52. 
Mugford,  Captain,  45. 
Murray,  Captain,  91. 
Murray.  Rev.  John,  167. 
Miii-congus    Harbor,     185,    216, 

220. 

Muster-rolls  of  the  Boston,  97, 
34->  344-355- 

N. 

National  flag,  47. 

Nantes,  98.  292. 

Nantucket  Roads,  1778,  74. 

Navy,  42;  in  1776,  66. 

Navy  Board  orders  four  ships  to 

Charleston,  S.  C.,  123,  356. 
Newcastle,  214. 
Newfoundland,  Banks  of,  327. 
Newhall,  Captain,  160. 
New    Harbor,     186,     188,    189, 

216. 
New  York,  222. 


Nicholson,     Samuel,     Captain, 

106, 1 20,  183. 
Nobleborough,  214. 

o. 

Orr,  Benjamin,  215. 
Osier,  Captain,  217. 

P. 

Paine,  John,  105. 

Palermo,  205. 

Palmer,  Captain,  93,  94. 

Parker,  Judge,  207,  210. 

Parole,  form  of,  140. 

Parris,  Albion  K.,  227,  228,  232. 

Patricktown  Plantation,  205. 

Payson,  David,  General,  213. 

Pedrick.  John,  Captain,  166. 

Pemaquid,  185,  192. 

Pennsylvania  Packet,  15. 

Penobscot,  202. 

Pepperell,  William,  Colonel,  46. 

Perkins,  Elizabeth,  167,  168. 

Petition  to  Navy  Board,  122. 

Phips,  James,  190. 

Phips,  Sir  William,  190. 

Pierce,  John,  188. 

Pilot's  certificate,  133. 

Pinckney,  Colonel,  128,  137. 

Pine,  Timothy,  157. 

Plymouth   Company,    iSS,  202, 

205. 

Pole,  ship,  in,  117. 
Popham,  C.  J.,  187. 
Popham.  Captain,  187. 
Portsmouth,  100 
Preble,  90. 


382 


INDEX. 


Prisoners'  names,  274. 
Providence,  ship,  99. 

Q: 

Quiberon  Point,  304. 

R. 

Rainbow,  frigate,  100. 
Ramsay,  Dr.,  162. 
Rank  of  officers,  115,  356. 
Rathbone,  Captain,  122. 
Rattler,  frigate,  216. 
Reed,  James,  107,  117. 
Reed,  Richard,  338. 
Reed,  William,  227. 
Representatives,  Maine,  226. 
Representatives,  Massachusetts, 

224. 

Resolve  of  Congress,  16. 
Ring,  Martin,  187. 
Ritchie,  J.  II.,  367. 
Round  Pond,  186. 
Rutledge,  338. 

S. 

Sagadahock,  187,  188. 

Sandwich,  ship,  106. 

Saves  a  ship  of  Morris,  30. 

Schweighaij0er,  agent,  95. 

Sedgwick,  C.  J.,  207. 

Selectmen  of  Bristol  and  Bre- 
men, 214, 

Sewall,  Henry,  Major-General, 
208. 

Sewall,  Samuel,  Judge,  207. 

Shares  of  prize  money,  340. 


Shaw,  Moses,  17. 

Sheepscot  River,  287. 

Ships  of  war  in  Revolution,  &c., 

372-374- 

Shirley,  Governor,  46. 
Shurte,  Abraham,  189. 
Sibley,  John  L.,  17. 
Simms,  William  G.,  137. 
Simpson.  Thomas,  99,  122,  307. 
Skinner,  Captain,  61. 
Smith,  Albert,  17,  249. 
Smith,  Jeremiah,  215. 
Smith,  John.  Captain,  17,  18. 
Smith,  Jonathan,  Jr.,  214. 
Somerset,  John,  iSS. 
Song    on     taking    the    Crown, 

369- 

Sparks,  Dr.,  56. 
Sprague,  Pelcg,  Judge,  eulogy, 

17,  102. 

St.  Eustatia,  106. 
St.  John's   or  Prince  Edward's 

Island,  191. 
St.  Louis,  95. 
St.  Ubes,  95. 
Storm  at  sea,  75,  78,  266. 
Story,  Judge,  210. 
Stowe.  Calvin  E.,  Dr.,  251. 
Style  of  Washington,  36. 
Sullivan,  Governor,  203. 
Sullivan's  Island,  127. 

T. 

Talbot,  Silas,  183. 
Tallman,  Peleg,  227. 
Tappan  Right,  202,  205,  214 
Thacher,  Judge,  207,  213. 
Thacher,  Samuel,  213. 


INDEX. 


3^3 


Thanks  of  Congress,  171,  233. 

The  Friends,  316. 

Thorn,  ship,  106,  120,  147,  152; 
her  three  prizes,  153,  161. 

Thornton,  J.  Wingate,  196. 

Townscnd  Harbor,  217. 

Trial  1,  pri;:e,  121. 

Truxton,  Thomas,  183. 

Tucker,  Andrew,  19. 

Tucker.  Mrs..  64. 

Tucker's  family  Bible,  335,  336. 

TUCKER,  SAMUEL,  birth,  bap- 
tism, education,  19,  21,  335; 
on  board  Royal  George,  22 ; 
second  mate  in  vessel,  24; 
commission  as  Captain  in 
Franklyn,  31;  commission  in 
Boston,  67 ;  prizes  off  Long 
Island,  Mass.,  61 ;  saves  a 
boy's  life,  100,  313;  siege  of 
Charleston,  Chap.  VII.,  122; 
cruise  in  Providence,  and 
Deane,  107;  captures  N.  Y. 
cruiser,  110:  captured  by  Frig- 
ate Hind,  161;  returns  from 
Edward's  I-  land  in  open  boat, 
162;  lends  large  sum  toD.C., 
169,  and  total  loss,  368;  life  in 
Boston,  166;  applies  for  one 
of  the  Federal  cutters,  174; 
returns  to  Marblehead  and  be- 
comes a  miller,  173;  removes 
to  Bristol,  184 ;  takes  the  armed 
cruiser  Crown,  216;  repre- 
sentation, 236;  death,  253; 
personal  appearance,  &c.,  255 ; 
obsequies,  257. 

Tyng,  Edward,  Captain,  46. 


u. 

Ushant,  99,  309. 

V. 

Varnum,  J.  B.,  101. 

Vaughan,    Benjamin,    LL.  D., 

211. 

Venture,  brig,  119. 
Vernon,  William,  73,  125,  159. 
Vessels  of  war,  size,  374,  375. 
Vinton,  John  A.,  196. 
Voyage  to  France,  74,  262. 

w. 

Waldoboro',  197,  217. 
Waldo  Patent,  205. 
Walker,  Benjamin,  170,  234. 
Walker,  Freeman,  237. 
Wappoo  Cut,  127,  130. 
Ward,  Captain  brig  Sally,  100. 
Ward,  General,  61,  65. 
Wardlow,  William,  Captain,  147, 

158. 
Warren,  Commodore,  in  French 

War,  46. 
Washington,    31,    35,    41,    425 

letter  to  Hancock,  44,  56,  182. 
Waters,  Daniel,  15,  56. 
Webster,  Daniel,  225. 
Weeks,  Major,  207. 
Weems,  Captain,  190. 
Welch,    Hezekiah,    Lieutenant, 

83,  275. 

Weston,  Captain,  27,  59,  158. 
Weymouth,  Captain,  187. 


INDEX. 


Whipple,  Abraham,  Commo- 
dore, 90,  98,  99,  122,  125,  329, 
130,  131,  132,  139,  258,  206. 

Whipple,  William,  in. 

Whitwell,  Benjamin,  211. 

Wicks,  Captain,  172. 

Wilde,  Samuel  S.,  210,  211,  245. 

Wilson,  John,   letter  in    reply, 

243- 
Windsor,  205. 


Wiscasset,  214,  217,  220,  221. 
Wpodfall,  253. 
Woodford,  General,  128. 
Woolwich,  189. 

Y. 

Young,  Captain,  letter,  162. 
Young  Phoenix,  27. 
Yeates,  Captain,  222. 


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